GUIDE TO A HAPPY MARRIAGE

It is difficult to determine from the text what potential audience the author had in mind. Early chapters seem to be aimed at arguing young about-to-be-marrieds out of taking the step. These deal with the advisability of finishing education before marriage; with the inadvisability of marriages that mix religious backgrounds; and the dangers of a marriage contracted to legitimatize a pregnancy. Chapters on the pitfalls of going steady during the teen years and the social patterns to be encouraged in pre-adolescents seem aimed at parents. Switching back to address any stubborn fiancees who may still be reading on, the author offers commonsensical advice on family finances and courtesy in the home. A confusing chapter entitled ""Sex"" uses without definition or description such terms as ""normal practices"", ""unnatural, extreme and indecent behavior"". Pinpointing ""too much and too little"" as the twin hazards of married sex, the author never provides any measure of how much is ""too much"" and vice versa. With the exception of this chapter, the book is replete with ""case studies"" and supporting statistics. The author's expertise in this area seemingly comes from his position as a prominent missionary and a member of the Council of Twelve in the Church of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints.