Book review: Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage - Stephanie Coontz

There are two arguments for and against gay marriage today. The For argument is generally, ‘Love is a human right’ and the Against tends to be for ‘Protecting the Sanctity of Traditional Marriage’. This book examines why both views were largely irrelevant for most of human history. Not only was love not a human right, until recently love wasn’t even a consideration when planning a marriage. Both men and women were discouraged from too much affection for their spouse, in case it undermined their loyalty for their family, their community, or God. As for the sanctity of marriage, the ‘’traditional”1950’s marriage deemed worthy of God’s love, was in fact a very unusual event in Western history, an event which lasted less than 20 years. Prior to last century, marriages were more like business mergers or investment partnerships and the married couple almost always shared their home with others of their family or community.

Stephanie Coontz studies family history and was inspired to write this book after being repeatedly asked if the institution of marriage was falling apart. While it is true that marriage is more fragile today than the days when the church held firm against divorce, she also shows that marriage has not always been the formal institution it is now, and that the church’s own position on marriage has changed many times. Even same-sex marriage has been previously permitted in places, provided both partners were able to commit to gender roles as firmly as any heterosexual couple. In Rome, where male-male marriages were derided, it wasn’t two men in love which was scandalous, but the idea of a man demeaning himself by doing ‘women’s work’.

This book is not about gay marriage; instead this is a book about the changing nature of marriage itself. Stephanie shows us that it is not gay equality that is threatening the Sanctity of Traditional Marriage, rather it was heterosexuals themselves who forever altered the institution -the growing popularity of ‘love’ matches, the desire to choose their own spouse, the breakdown of gender roles, the rise of feminism, and the acceptance of divorce and cohabitating partners - all opened the door to the inevitability of same-sex marriage.

This is a brilliant book, particularly in her comparisons to marriage myths as opposed to measurable marriage trends. It’s also an important read during this time when marriage is going through yet another upheaval.

Review by Ida Raine

Book review: A Hole in the World – Sophie Robbins

Princess Alexandra of Calpaea has been kidnapped by an evil enchantress and is now trapped in a cave, guarded over by trolls. When she is finally rescued it wasn’t the prince charming she was expecting, but a 16 year old English teenager named Bianca.

Bianca was four when she first discovers the hole in the wall near the centre of her town, yet eleven years later it still shows up in her dreams. Sent home in disgrace from boarding school, she is still picking up the pieces of her life when the urge to explore the hole overtakes her. Unbeknownst to her, the hole in the wall is really a hole between worlds and inside is a princess waiting to be saved.

The book is a modern day fairy tale with a twist. Bianca and her friends are imminently likeable and faced with the prospect of a princesses death, are more than willing to go into battle. Weighed down with backpacks and smoke bombs, the four teenagers battle flying reptiles, rats, trolls and tentacles to save a kingdom. I suspect this book was written for teenagers, but I, as an adult, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Review by Ida Raine

Book review: The Girl Back Home – R.E. Bradshaw

Jamie had it all, a stunning wife, a lucrative job and a luxurious mansion - only to lose it all after an affair with a younger woman. Thrown out of her home and abandoned by her friends, she packed up everything she owned and moved back to the small country town where she grew up. Once there she has her best friend Beth for support, as well as reconnecting with her first ever crush from her youth, a woman she hasn’t seen for 25 years.

Sandy was twenty years old and married with a small child when she met sixteen year old Jamie. Now twenty five years later Jamie is back and this time Sandy can admit to herself that she wants more than friendship. Unfortunately Sandy still has a husband, Jamie is still in love with her ex-wife and Beth is getting suspicious.

This is an interesting book of love between women at the prime of their lives. At seventeen and twenty one, their lives were too far apart to ever contemplate a relationship. Now at forty two and forty six the differences don’t seem as insurmountable. Before that can happen however, Sandy has to sort through her feelings about her marriage and Jamie has to recognise the issues in her past relationship which drove her to the affair. Of course, being a book about the rocky road to love there has to be a lot of drama along the way, yet the characters remain realistic throughout. This book can be long-winded at times but otherwise it’s a good read.

Review by Ida Raine