Reviews

Love Between Equals: How Peer Marriage Really Works by Pepper Schwartz

rwlongino's review against another edition

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3.0

This book is well written with several case studies thrown in to help present the material. I think I like the idea of peer marriage, but it sounds challenging to maintain. I get the sense that the couple become so close, after a while they see each other as siblings. NOT something I want in my marriage! I appreciate the commentary on income disparity and how egalitarian marriages work best when both make about the same amount of money.

mcmoots's review

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2.0

Although Pepper Schwartz claims that she is going to tell us what makes "near peer" marriages different from truly egalitarian marriages, she lies. For most of the book, she talks about how sucky it is to be in a partnership bound by traditional gender roles, and how awesome it is to be in an egalitarian relationship.

What sets apart the people who are trying for an egalitarian relationship but fail, from the people who succeed? Uh, mumble mumble handwave commitment. Gee, thanks, Dr. Schwartz!

If you have someone in your life who needs to be convinced that an egalitarian relationship is a realistic goal, or that traditional gender roles are not actually the key to happiness, this might be a little too condescending but then again it might be just the thing. Otherwise, skip it.
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