Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trialBlink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
How Love Conquered Marriage
Marriage, a History by Stephanie Coontz is a non-fiction book that traces the evolution of marital traditions across different cultures and time periods. It challenges traditional views and presents a nuanced understanding of current day relationships.
Imagine marrying someone you don’t truly love. A frightening thought, right? Indeed, most of us would say that love must exist before marriage can take place.
Historically, this is a rather recent development. In fact, for thousands of years, love had little to do with marriage.
In medieval Europe, for example, when people talked about “love,” they weren’t talking about married couples. Rather, “love” was something reserved for God, kin or neighbors.
And in India, falling in love was once even considered dangerous. Romantic love was viewed as antisocial, an emotion that could lead people to make irrational decisions and challenge the authority of the family.
So if marriage wasn’t about mutual love between two individuals, what was it about? Why invent marriage at all?
The answer may sound strange to modern ears: marriage was a means of establishing kinship. But why was this something that people wanted to do in the first place?
Well, our hunter-gatherer ancestors were nomadic travelers, constantly searching for food. In this search, they would sometimes stumble upon strange and potentially hostile groups and a fight would break out.
Such fights could be avoided, however, if the bands made peace instead of threatening one another. They figured that one of the easiest ways to establish a reliable connection between the bands was to marry a member of one group to a member of the other.
Through intermarriage, complete strangers (and even enemies) could be transformed into relatives, thus establishing kinships that helped guarantee peace. With this in mind, it makes sense that the old Anglo-Saxon word for “wife” meant "peace weaver."
Marriage, a History (2005) covers the history of the institution of marriage, from its genesis in the Stone Age to its recent crisis.
Marriage, a History (2005) by Stephanie Coontz explores the evolution of marriage and its influence on society throughout history. Here's why this book is definitely worth reading:
For centuries, marriage did much of the work that markets and governments do today.
It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.
Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.
Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.
Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.
Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,500+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.
Start your free trialBlink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
What is the main message of Marriage, a History?
Marriage, a History explores the evolving role of marriage throughout human civilization.
How long does it take to read Marriage, a History?
The reading time for Marriage, a History varies depending on the reader's speed. However, the Blinkist summary can be read in just 15 minutes.
Is Marriage, a History a good book? Is it worth reading?
Marriage, a History is a thought-provoking exploration of marriage's past and its implications for the future. Worth a read!
Who is the author of Marriage, a History?
Marriage, a History was written by Stephanie Coontz.