A review by orangejenny
The Polyamorists Next Door: Inside Multiple-Partner Relationships and Families by Elisabeth Sheff
4.0
First section set my expectations low: a glossary-like explanation of poly concepts (admittedly necessary, this is a jargon-heavy subject) followed by a blog-like digression into the author's personal life.
The middle and later parts of the book are much better, as they organize the results of the author's study of polyamorous families, and in particular the experience of children in those families.
Sheff's major findings are a) there's little that's unique to poly families, especially when compared with mainstream families "blended" by divorce and remarriage and b) that said, there are characteristics that often show up in poly relationships that can be beneficial to all kinds of relationships and families.
The story here is the lack of story. That, along with Sheff's calm discussion of both positive and negative poly experiences, makes this potentially quite de-stigmatizing.
The study has limitations (few respondents, especially for followups, self-selected participants), but it's a good addition to the limited data available on polyamory.
The middle and later parts of the book are much better, as they organize the results of the author's study of polyamorous families, and in particular the experience of children in those families.
Sheff's major findings are a) there's little that's unique to poly families, especially when compared with mainstream families "blended" by divorce and remarriage and b) that said, there are characteristics that often show up in poly relationships that can be beneficial to all kinds of relationships and families.
The story here is the lack of story. That, along with Sheff's calm discussion of both positive and negative poly experiences, makes this potentially quite de-stigmatizing.
The study has limitations (few respondents, especially for followups, self-selected participants), but it's a good addition to the limited data available on polyamory.