Title: A History of the Wife

Author: Margaret Yalom

Publisher: Harper 2002

Genre: Nonfiction - Social Sciences; History

Pages: 464

Rating: 4/5 stars

Reading Challenges: Reading Assignment; Perpetual - Nonfic Ad

How did marriage, considered a religious duty in medieval Europe, become a venue for personal fulfillment in contemporary America? How did the notion of romantic love, a novelty in the Middle Ages, become a prerequisite for marriage today? And, if the original purpose of marriage was procreation, what exactly is the purpose of marriage for women now? 

A very very very dense social science book but very interesting. I do appreciate Yalom's adherence to detail when examining marriage throughout history. This isn't the most uplifting book, but I was intrigued by the topic and the exploration of the historical record. 

Next up on the TBR pile: