Worlds Of Pain [Paperback]

Rubin (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 9, 1992

The classic that is widely acknowledged to be the most valuable and insightful book ever written on the dynamics of working-class family life by a renowned sociologist, psychotherapist, and bestselling author."One of the most devastating critiques of contemporary American life that I have read."--Michael B. Katz Professor of History, York University

"This is a sensitive and compassionate portrayal of childhood, marriage, and adult life among the hard-working not-quite poor. It is an important contribution to our understanding of ourselves."--Robert S. Weiss, author of "Marital Separation"

Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (September 9, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0465092489
• ISBN-13: 978-0465092482
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #879,701 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining. But rigorous sociology, it is not., June 14, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Worlds Of Pain (Paperback)

Lilian Rubin writes with an empathy that could only come from being the product of a working-class family herself. Unfortunately, the baggage which Rubin's brings along on her study tends to butt in inappropriately. In the chapter on the subject's childhood, for example, Rubin concludes that all of the subjects must have been unhappy during their early years because she could recall her "own impoverished background." It did not matter to Rubin that her subjects "implored, even commanded [her], to believe they had happy home lives as children."

It should also be noted that this study was conducted in 1972. While there is a fairly significant new introduction which Rubin wrote in 1992, the text of the book is unchanged. Certainly much has changed in the past twenty years. Both in terms of the jobs of the working-class, the sex lives of working-class couples, the reasons they marry, and even the definition of working-class itself.

In short, an interesting read by a talented writer. But rigorous sociology it is not.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Anecdotal and entertaining, but limited., October 10, 2003

By 

frumiousb "frumiousb" (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Worlds Of Pain (Paperback)

This book would probably be a lot of use to a writer or screenwriter who was researching the working-class family in the early 70s. The stories are interesting and the writing is fluid and compelling. It gives a good slice of life from several perspectives.

It *might* be of interest to a historian as anecdotal material, but it's good to note that this is a small sample of interviews carried out by a writer who obviously had her own agenda with the subject matter.

I bought it second-hand and don't regret the time to read it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Painful to Read, July 16, 2009

By 

Diana L. Mercer "Diana Mercer, co-author Your... (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Worlds Of Pain (Paperback)

An easy book to read about a very uncomfortable subject. As the title implies this is a book about the pain of unfulfilled dreams and the hurt that often follows. A devastating often unrelentingly bleak tome. I can't say you will enjoy it but I can say you will almost assuredly learn from it.
Diana Mercer is the co-author of Your Divorce Advisor and her company is peace-talks.com