| A History of Marriage: Newest Edition |
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A History of Marriage explores how marriage developed, and examines real-life experiences in their wider historical context: How did a wealthy couple's experience differ from a poor one's? How did children both fit into and define the shape of marriage? What were a couple's alternatives to staying together, and how long was the average marriage until death ended it? Abbott provides an intriguing look at the way we were, and poses important questions relevant to a 21st-century understanding of marriage. Hardcover: Seven Stories Press Critical Acclaim for A History of Marriage: A rich tapestry and colorful snapshot of an evolving institution. The author can elegantly move from examining the elusive meaning of Jan Van Eyck’s The Arnolfini Portrait to relating the 19th-century legal trials and writings of women’s-rights advocate Elizabeth Packard, whose husband imprisoned her in a mental asylum. Abbott [also] looks at some of the issues surrounding battering and abuse, divorce, taxation and gay marriage. Ultimately, she wonders: Does marriage have a future? - Kirkus Reviews |
