Previously published: New York : Doubleday, 2000.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 233-247) and index.

Publisher Fact Sheet,In the first full-scale comparison of married & single life, Linda J. Waite & Maggie Gallagher present compelling evidence that getting & staying married increases the happiness & well-being of men, women, & their children. Drawing on their own research & the work of other nationally recognized scholars, they show that married adults are less likely to die young, develop physical disabilities, or suffer psychological & emotional illnesses. Married couples also enjoy more satisfying sex lives than their single counterparts--including those with live-in partners--and build more wealth. Contrasting marriage with cohabitation, the authors provide persuasive evidence that a public & legal vow transforms people's lives in ways that private "lovestyles" cannot. These positive, proven consequences of wedded life, the authors argue, demolish the anti-marriage myths emerging in America today. Overturning the currently accepted wisdom that women are oppressed by marriage, that children of divorce suffer no ill effects, & that cohabitation is virtually identical to marriage, THE CASE FOR MARRIAGE offers a wealth of examples to support the pro-marriage stance. Statistics show, for instance, that violence is less prevalent in married households than in other domestic arrangements & that divorce reduces male life expectancy on the order of a pack-a-day cigarette habit. This impassioned, closely reasoned manifesto combines analysis, cultural criticism, & practical advice on strengthening the institution of marriage. By breaking through the heated rhetoric on both sides, it sets clear & essential guidelines for reestablishing marriage as the foundation for a healthy & happy society

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