THE MARITAL ARTS

by Art Hoppe ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 26, 1985

That's no typo in the title. This bouncy text deals not with the latest deadly kung-fu technique, but with detonations in the nuclear family. And a clever guide it is. Forget about touchy-feely encounter groups, paltry pursuit games and other such fiddle-laddie. West Coast wit Art Hoppe has patched together, more or less seamlessly, some of his newspaper columns and other comic pieces and just in time, too. After years of clearly laborious study, Dr. Hoppe kindly tells all concerning everything you always knew, or never considered worth asking about in the first place. Filling the vacuum left by the late Havelock Ellis, he considers such matters as togetherness in connubial arrangements and why, how to recapture the investment in a child by placing a fair market value on the full-grown lout, the role of hanky-panky, the insufferableness of a selfless spouse, and sex after marriage. With the aid of frequent appearances by his charming wife Glynda, and their two children, charming Mordred and equally charming Malphasia, Hoppe proves, finally, that there may indeed be differences between those of the male gender, the female gender and whatever. For every hoary gag (the chief cause of divorce is marriage, no less) there are many more insightful notions. ""The best laid loves o' mice and men aft gang pregnant,"" it is noted. And we all recognize that wisdom of honestly advising a 32-year-old daughter ""that if she has intimate relations with a man before marriage, the boogeyman will get her."" Marriage is the thing, of course, and there are lots of reasons to commit it, as good professor Hoppe points out. ""When I was young,"" he says, ""a common one was dot, dot, dot. You know, 'He took her into his arms and dot, dot, dot.' "" An entertaining text for seasoned players or acolytes in connubial enterprises.

Pub Date: June 26, 1985

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Arbor House

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1985

Categories: NONFICTION