Product Description

A groundbreaking look at the most basic and universal of all human institutions, this authoritative and provocative book reveals the benefits-emotional, physical, economic, and sexual-that marriage brings to individuals and society as a whole.

Everyone knows that we are experiencing an epidemic of divorce; rates of single-parenthood and unmarried cohabitation are skyrocketing while marriage rates continue to decline. Yet 93% of Americans still say they hope to form a lasting and happy union with one person, though fewer now believe that this is possible.

Numerous books have been written about the impact of divorce on men, women, children, and society at large. But no one has yet studied the long-term benefits of being and staying married. The Case for Marriage is a critically important intervention in the national debate about the future of the family. Based on the authoritative research of family sociologist Linda Waite and other scholars, the book's findings dramatically contradict the anti-marriage myths that have become the common sense of most Americans.  Today a broad consensus holds that marriage is a bad deal for women, that divorce is better for children when parents are unhappy, and that marriage is essentially a private choice, not a public institution. Waite and Gallagher flatly contradict these assumptions, arguing instead that by a broad range of indices, being married is actually better for you physically, materially, and spiritually than being single or divorced. Married people live longer, have better health, earn more money and accumulate more wealth, feel more fulfilled in their lives, enjoy more satisfying sexual relationships, and have happier and more successful children than those who remain single, cohabit, or get divorced. Statistics show, for example, that violence is less prevalent in married households and that divorce reduces male life expectancy on the order of a pack-a-day cigarette habit.

While their book is not primarily a work of moral exhortation, the authors argue that in order for marriage to do its beneficial work it must be treated as a socially preferred option, not merely one choice among others that are equally valid. Combining clearheaded analysis, penetrating cultural criticism, and practical advice for strengthening the institution of marriage, the authors provide clear, essential guidelines for reestablishing marriage as the foundation for a healthy and happy society.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #205121 in Books
• Published on: 2001-10-09
• Released on: 2001-10-09
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

From Amazon.com
The wages of the married are high, commitment is good for the libido, and, despite 30 years of arguments to the contrary, happiness may just depend on reciting the wedding vow, according to Linda Waite and Maggie Gallagher. After sifting through the evidence and conducting their own studies, the authors conclude that marriage is beneficial and transformational, and that neither cohabitation nor swinging singledom are all they're cracked up to be. In fact, it turns out that marriage is a public heath issue: being single can take almost 10 years off a man's life, while wifely nagging really is good for his health. Getting and keeping a wife can also increase a man's income as much as an education. Waite and Gallagher debunk a number of myths about marriage, including the one that says men get a better deal. Acknowledging that there may have been some truth to this in the past, better equity in modern marriages means that women make out just as well as men, though in different ways. Divorce--not marriage--is especially bad for women's health; parenting young children--not marriage--is the usual source of depression seen in mothers; and battering is significantly more common in cohabitating couples.

So, what does threaten marriage? For one, the insecurity engendered by the cultural acceptance of divorce. Couples are now less willing to invest fully in each other, the authors write, while "commitment produces contentment; uncertainty creates agony." Cultural indifference towards marriage is the other big downer. Because marriage is a public commitment, it can "work its miracles only if it is supported by the whole society." Not surprisingly, divorce gets a very bad rap as Waite and Gallagher pull out the heavyweight facts, particularly when it comes to its effect on children. The good news, though, is that marriage is resilient--five years down the road most couples who considered but resisted divorce found that they were happy again. Since Americans are still the marrying kind despite the cynicism, fear, and laissez-faire attitudes, The Case for Marriage makes a reassuring and compelling case for keeping on keeping on. --Lesley Reed

From Booklist
Waite and Gallagher overstate contemporary attacks on marriage, but they make a valid point that the revered institution has suffered stings lately. They cite the steady rise in divorce and in cohabitation, unwed parenthood, and the perception among some of marriage as a tradition. The authors note troubling trends that indicate that despite polls showing Americans rank a happy marriage as their primary goal, "when it comes to marriage, Americans have both high hopes and debilitating fears." The authors combat every negative myth regarding marriage--that it imprisons women or provides the context for abuse--with statistics showing its benefits: married people live longer, are healthier, have greater wealth and happiness, have sex more often, and provide a healthier, happier environment in which to raise children. Waite and Gallagher make their arguments in the context of the struggle between individualism and community interests, "between freedom and love." They also examine public policies that threaten to undermine marriage and what the government, courts, private sector, and individuals can do to strengthen this time-honored institution. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review
Advance Praise for The Case for Marriage:

"In this book Maggie Gallagher and Linda Waite make a compelling defense of a sacred union. The Case for Marriage is well written and well argued, empirically rigorous and learned, practical and commonsensical. It is a very valuable contribution to the debate about marriage in modern American society."
-William J. Bennett, author of The Book of Virtues

"Linda Waite and Maggie Gallagher have written a truly revolutionary book. Amassing powerful resources of data and theory, they attack the current anti-marriage conventional wisdom and devastate it. Married people are healthier, happier, more productive, and enjoy better sex. On reflection one wonders how anyone could have possibly thought otherwise. Future discussion of marriage and family will not be able to ignore this work, no matter how much the anti-marriage ideologues would like to."
-Reverend Andrew M. Greeley, priest, sociologist, and bestselling author

"This is an important book that makes the central arguments for marriage. In this cynical, high-divorce culture, this book is a MUST read for every citizen. We need to know the facts about what marriage does accomplish, and here, finally, are the facts, in understandable terms."
-John Gottman, author of The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work and Why Marriages Succeed or Fail

"Is marriage just another lifestyle choice? If you think so, read this book. You will be surprised at how much harm has been done by the popular culture's seemingly benign and well-meaning efforts to characterize all family forms as equally valid. It is time to start talking about the 'M' word and this book should spark the conversation."
-Isabel V. Sawhill, Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institute


From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews

Does marriage cause the positives or would they occur anyway
First, I must admit that I really admire the scope of this book. It covers many bases, and reviews the literature on both men and women; many books on marriage cover only one gender when it comes to the research on marriage, and then pit men and women against each other. There is a caveat to this research, however, that anyone reading this book should think about. It is very difficult in social science research to prove that one variable "causes" a change in other variables. In this case, the authors try to prove that marriage "causes" people to be happier, healthier, live longer, have better sex, etc. etc. Yet, there is no way of measuring for selection bias: people who are physically and mentally healthier (and therefore happier and more likely to succeed financially anyway) may be more likely to marry in the first place because they are more attractive in the marriage market. For example, some research on whether individuals are likely to desist in crime commission if they marry looks at whether the spouse also engages in crime. The variables in Waite's book may be related to each other, but not necessarily in a causation model as she claims.

I still give the book four stars because it demonstrates how social science can be used to inform the general public, and it is a well-written review of the literature. If Waite and Gallagher had been more honest about their results (in terms of not misleading with the statistics), I would have given it five stars.

Realistic and informative
I love books on marriages that succeed and why and it is one of the aspects that drew me to buying this excellent book. And it would be to bad id people denounced the book because it speaks so highly of why marriage is good for people. One need only read the Jewish texts, Torah to see that marriage was ordained because being alone according to God wasn't best. And to those who think they cannot find the right person to marry, a simple piece of advise is stop looking so hard, ask God to bring them into your life and above all don't expect what you yourself aren't willing to be yourself. Want someone who is nice looking, fit, healthy, or rich then make sure you are the same thing. If you are looking for 'perfect' you're probably dooming yourself from the get go.

The authors not that someone who has made a bad choice and ends up in an abusive relationship should not stay, but flea to safety and don't make the same bad choice again. But that overall marriage is healthy. That married couples contrary to the jokes and myths actually have more sex and more satisfying sex emotionally and physically.

The authors also note (listen up men) on page 99 that "For men, the data leave little room for doubt:Marriage itself makes men more successful. In fact when it comes to earnings, for men, getting and keeping a wife may be as important as getting an education."
And "Married men make better workers than single guys do, because they lead more settled lives. They have lower rates of absenteeism from work and are less likely to quit or be fired than are single men."
The authors also dispel many myths like marriage increases to a large extent the home management hours wives have.

After reading the book I sat down and wrote out the pros and cons of thirty-eight years of marriage and the what ifs. Its interesting as a case in point that after my husband was hit and disabled by a drunk driver and I became his caregiver that while our income did drop, his life expediency rose and my over all happiness increased because being married we were a team. And the authors share similar examples and stats.

"A Case For Marriage"
I highly recommend this book. To anyone. Marriage and families are under full frontal attack in society today. I believe it is becomming vital to know which side we are on and this book clearly demonstrates why.