1. 

   Gardener 1
   December 16th, 2009 - 05:00

   This women is an idiot. She believes that you should say yes to your partner every time they want sex. Outside of marriage, no means no, but according to her, inside of marriage you should always do what your mate wants. Just because there is a piece of paper involved doesn’t mean you give up your right to say no.
   Rating: 2 / 5
2. 

   MD
   December 16th, 2009 - 07:21

   Does anyone out there still take advice from “Dr.” Laura? Apparently so, since HarperCollins killed trees for this drivel. I read this book in an airport on my way to meet my wife. It gave me a good laugh..the simplistic solutions offered and condenscending tone are typical of this women’s view of the world. Anachronistic and ham-fisted. Sad.
   Rating: 1 / 5
3. 

   BMW
   December 16th, 2009 - 09:56

   It was very short for a $17 book. I read it in Barnes and Nobles in an hour. It was basically (to me) a combination of Woman Power (some minor tasks to accomplish and items to discuss) and The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands. New stuff included her polarity of the sexes bit. There is some truth to the books and there is no doubt that a few marriages that would benefit from these tactics and lessons. The constant and simplistic blame on the vague “feminism” detracts from her more logical information. Schlessinger advises couples to focus on each other (Gift of the Maji bit). Sex is important. Constant anger is not conducive to a happy home. That’s nice and reasonable information.

   I felt that her description of the differences between men and women read more like bad stereotypes. She provides letters and call examples as per her usual style. Listeners of her show may find this book a bit boring and repetitive (I did)because she repeats the same stories she tells on the radio every other day. It feels as if you are reading a transcript of her radio show, complete with her rants, musings and nagging. I feel this book is kind of a slap to her readers because of its redundant nature. She pats herself on the back through the whole book. At some points, it reads like a promotion for her earlier 2 books. Readers that think they are finally going to see Schlessinger teach men will be disappointed. The basis for a good marriage still rests on the shoulders of women.

   I honestly think that she wrote this book to make more money and to provide men a chance to give their wives a book by her that wouldn’t prompt an immediate return to them via the rear end. I will say that if you feel your marriage/spouse needs advice Dr. Laura style that this book was far more pleasant to read then The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands and may be received more willingly. That is why it got 3 stars instead of 2 (for deceiving readers into thinking this was a different book). Had it been longer and had more original material, I would have given it more, I felt the shortness was really just more evidence that she was rehashing the same old material. A 4 or 5 would have required much better writing and less calls and letters. In closing, I just feel that Sclessinger’s message is lost in her desire to blame. Her message is constantly undermined by her own weird obsession with feminism and stance on strict traditional gender roles. She seems to want to make people mad and that makes me doubt her faith in her own message. It feels contrived and stinks of the desire to make a profit. The seed of this book is a good one. Too many couples focus on so much outside of their marriage that they grow apart, grow angry and resent each other. More kindness and attentiveness from both sides would vastly improve a relationship that is faltering. That seed never comes to fruition because Schlessinger is disorganised, angry and lazy in her writing.
   
   Rating: 3 / 5
4. 

   E. Claire
   December 16th, 2009 - 09:57

   If you want to hear another female-bashing rant by Dr. Laura, look no farther. Although she has a career and a family, she consistantly advises women against this, and uses feminism as a scapegoat for all of society’s ills. I consider myself fairly conservative, but I also have enough sense to look at past and present traditional male-dominated cultures throughout the world where women are obligated to serve their husbands and families. In the majority of these societies women are treated very poorly, have few actual rights, and bear most of the suffering (as well as doing most of the work). I believe we’d all like a simple solution to the problem of family breakdown, I just don’t know if returning to strict gender roles is the solution for everyone.
   Rating: 2 / 5
5. 

   JerseyGirl
   December 16th, 2009 - 12:17

   Please save your money and do not buy this drivel. Most of this book is a direct and harsh attack on feminists, and feminism in general. Guess what, Dr. Laura? It’s 2007, not 1957. She has no practical or specific suggestions for improving a marriage, just general “smile and be pretty, open your legs and don’t complain”.
   Rating: 1 / 5

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