Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: A History of the Wife by Marilyn Yalom ISBN: 0-06-019338-7 Publisher: HarperCollins Pub. Date: 05 February, 2001 Format: Hardcover Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $30.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.27 (11 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: Entertainment not history
Comment: It's more a collection of interesting anecdotes than scholarly history. I wouldn't recommend it to a serious student. It's a book where someone is invited to England by "the archbishop of Cranmer" (I don't think she can blame that one on her proofreaders). Others have complained about the omission of Asia and Africa. In her coverage of "Wives in the Ancient World" she limits herself to the Old Testament and Greece and Rome. I suppose she had to leave something out, but she spends three pages on rehashing the story of Antony and Cleopatra with mentioning who it was that Cleopatra was originally supposed to marry. The startling identity of that intended spouse should certainly be relevant to "Wives in the Ancient World."
Elsewhere she recounts very well known tales such as Bible stories and the plots of Shakespeare's plays at a length that I found tedious but some may find informative. Things liven up when she gets to the 19th century, and I found the narratives of pioneer and Mormon wives in the old West quite enthralling.
Her feminism comes to the fore as she describes tha latter part of the 20th century. She sees all as progress and gives no space to the conservative arguments.I found it strange that she (who has done sexual surveys herself) should recount Kinsey's fantasies in his "Report" as fact.
It's well written, readable, interesting and entertaining, but look elsewhere if you want reliable history for a term paper.
Rating: 4
Summary: An interesting read for all women
Comment: I really enjoyed this book. I have to give it four stars at it really only includes anglo western women. This gives little detail for women of the East, Africian nations, or even indiginous people of the Americas. With that being said the book is highly informative and goes through marriage through times. Attention is given to the Greek, Roman, Western European wives, then off to America and how American women's lives have changed.
This book explores what typically was an arranged marriage for family prestige and gain, until it became a love match. Wives roles were more than simply taking care of the house and children through out time. Wives often ran a husbands business, and was even a requirement for some careers.
While this book may have been written from a feminist point of view, I believe this book can be read by all who want to know about the role of a wife from a historical standpoint. Its a wonderful thought provoking read that will leave you thankful you live in the modern age.
Rating: 4
Summary: Good, though Euro-centric
Comment: This is a very readable, interesting book detailing the history of the wife from biblical stories to present day America. The focus is very much on white, western women, almost exclusively European and American. There is a lot of interesting history and it's a fascinating evolution. Yalom choice of quotes & illustrations from Dickenson to newspaper comics was a nice addition, adding some color to the text. The eurocentric focus, since it was pretty clearly defined, didn't bother me until 20th-century America, when the absence of any Asian, Indian, African, etc. influences or tradtions seemed blatant and misleading. I also expected more discussion of gay partnerships since they figured heavily in Yalom's introduction.
Overall, I think it's an excellent book, just as it says for any woman considering the title of wife or already possessing it to see some of the baggage and tradion it carries.
 |
Title: History of the Breast by Marilyn Yalom ISBN: 0345388941 Publisher: Ballantine Books Pub. Date: 31 March, 1998 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
 |
Title: Public Vows: A History of Marriage and the Nation by Nancy F. Cott ISBN: 0674008758 Publisher: Harvard Univ Pr Pub. Date: March, 2002 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
 |
Title: Who Cooked the Last Supper: The Women's History of the World by Rosalind Miles ISBN: 0609806955 Publisher: Three Rivers Press Pub. Date: 10 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
 |
Title: What Is Marriage For? by E. J. Graff ISBN: 0807041157 Publisher: Beacon Press Pub. Date: 09 June, 2000 List Price(USD): $15.00 |
 |
Title: Man and Wife in America: A History by Hendrik Hartog ISBN: 0674008111 Publisher: Harvard Univ Pr Pub. Date: April, 2002 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
