Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Married

Title: Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Married
Author: Gary Chapman
Labels: Relationships | Marriage
Publisher: Northfield Publishing
Publication Date: September 1, 2010
Recommended To: Singles, couples, men, women
Contains: Adult subjects

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: Gary Chapman writes, "Most people spend far more time in preparation for their vocation than they do in preparation for marriage." No wonder the divorce rate hovers around fifty percent. Bestselling author and marriage counselor Gary Chapman hopes to change that with his newest book. Gary, with more than 35 years of experience counseling couples, believes that divorce is the lack of preparation for marriage and the failure to learn the skills of working together as intimate teammates.
          So he put together this practical little book, packed with wisdom and tips that will help many develop the loving, supportive and mutually beneficial marriage men and women long for. It's the type of information Gary himself wished he had before he got married. The material lends itself to heart-felt discussions by dating or engaged couples. To jump-start the exchanges, each short chapter includes insightful "Talking it Over" questions and suggestions. And, the book includes information on interactive websites as well as books that will enhance the couples experience.
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This is a book that was assigned to a college class that I wanted to take, but unfortunately was not able to due to conflicting schedules. The class was about marriage and family matters, and I had a lot of friends who were able to take the class. They all agreed that it was the best book assigned to the class, and recommended it. I bought it, but only got the chance to read it now.

Chapman pointed out twelve different areas that most couples don't take the time to discuss prior to marriage, and as a result, they end up in arguments over these areas. His premise is for couples to think and talk through these areas prior to their wedding, or if they are already married, to work through these areas together sooner rather than later. Each point had examples and was well explained. The chapters ended with discussion questions that could be answered alone or with the other person in a relationship.

I would definitely recommend this book to singles, for things to keep in mind for the future; for dating couples, to talk over and discuss before making the decision to marry; for engaged couples, to prepare for their impending marriage; and for married couples, to help eliminate stress and problem points in their marriage. I bought this book, and therefore was not asked nor required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.