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American
Reference Books Annual 2004
Midwest
Book Review, August 2003
Review
from: American
Reference Books Annual 2004
As part of the H. W.
Wilson's well-respected The Reference Shelf series, this book offers an
overview of the evolution and current conditions of the family as part of
American culture. Comprised of a collection of 24 carefully selected
articles, the researcher is exposed to a broad sociological treatment of
this topic. Divided into six areas, the concept of the nuclear family,
adoption, multifaith and multigenerational issues appear first. Next, the
diversity of the modern day family is explored, along with marital issues
and partnerships. Conditions that precipitate crises within the family
structure are then covered. The final chapters touch upon parenting
issues, and the makeup of the nontraditional family. A bibliography
provides additional research material with its list of books, and articles
with abstracts only. A short list of pertinent Websites has also been
added. An alphabetically arranged subject index is found in the back of
the book.
Easily
understood by the general reader, it can also be considered a research
tool for high school students and lower-level undergraduates who are in
need of a basic guide to the literature. This volume will serve better in
the circulating collection rather than as reference source, but should
still be considered as a worthwhile addition to those high school and
academic libraries needing a beginning guide to this topic.
Review from:
Midwest
Book Review, August 2003
The American Family
is part of the H.W. Wilson Company's "The Reference Shelf 2003"
series for academic and community library collections. This 182-page
reference is comprised of twenty-five scholarly articles plus abstracts of
additional articles and a bibliography of sources. The focus is upon the
diversity of contemporary American family lifestyles including homes led
by divorced or single parents, stepfamilies, interfaith and interracial
marriages, gay partnerships, childless couples, the traditional nuclear
family, an other domestic structures. Also covered are such family
relevant issues as reproductive technologies and the emerging controversy
of reproduction by cloning. The American Family is a seminal,
timely, and invaluable contribution to academic, govern-mental, and
professional demographic reference resources. |
