Reflections

The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage by Laura Schlessinger

Posted by on Mar 9, 2007 | 3 Comments

In her book, The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage, Laura Schlessinger, bestselling author and talk show host once again shares her strong beliefs on what makes for happy marital unions. Schlessinger’s goal, through this her second book on the topic of marital bliss, is to reintroduce readers to the meaning of femininity and masculinity and to help them rediscover their appropriate sexual roles. Her second goal, however, focuses on encouraging wives to forsake their selfish demanding ways and to give more of themselves to their husbands. Furthermore, Schlessinger spends large portions of her book denouncing the feminist movement and feminists in general as she espouses women returning to their designated role of homemaker so that they can rediscover “pure joy and happiness”. According to Ms Schlessinger, a happy marriage is dependent on spouses avoiding interfaith marriage, accepting the necessity to stay together for the sake of the children and the wife never saying no to a husband who wants sex. Other of her rules included never insisting that a man wash his own dishes, and that both women and men should respect the division of labor with men taking care of the family’s financial needs and the woman the family’s emotional needs.

Scattered throughout her writing Schlessinger incorporates questions posed by listeners (many of whom are reformed feminists who lament their mistaken concepts regarding sexual equality and relates her advice on the power of true femininity. She then goes on to expound on the different ways that men and women communicate and how modern feminism has undermined men and women’s images of marriage.

Problems with this book included gender stereotyping, which oversimplified the complex relationships between men and women that have nothing to do with sex. Another issue that might be negative is that this book mirrors her book The Proper Care & Feeding of Husbands to such an extent that you might not want to spend the additional money on it. Lastly, listeners of her show may find this book a bit boring and repetitive since it comes across as if you are reading a transcript of her radio show, complete with her rants, musings and nagging. However, if your marriage is on the rocks and you are both willing to work it out honestly, I would recommend this book. [tags]The Proper Care and Feeding of Marriage, Laura Schlessinger, Dr. Laura, housewife, husbands, wives, marriage, feminity, Masculinity, book review[/tags]

  • Joel Graebe

    I disagree. It is an excellent book and one I highly recommend.

    Especially interesting (and new) are the questions (and answers) given to wives and husbands about marriage, expectations, etc.

    I note that it sold out in the local Costco in 4 days or less while the books on both sides are still there two weeks later.

  • http://wp3.lockergnome.com/nexus/reflections/ reflections

    Thank you for your opinion. I was trying to be fair and objective and not give too much of a slanted view. However, I did say that I would recommend the book for those who marriages were in trouble and for those who would be willing to honestly work at improving their marriages. In my own life my husband and I spend every day together and he has no doubt who he is and the division of labor in our own household. I do personnally believe that a woman when financially feasible can be happier as a homemaker but I do know that many women do not share my view.

  • Clint Mathes

    All I can say is I was at Borders and I sat in Starbucks reading the first chapter of this book. I thought it was great.
    I told my fiance about it and she read some of it too and really enjoyed it.
    If the rest of this book is as good as the first chapter, then it’s going to be a hit.