The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert
by John M. Gottman, Nan Silver

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Book Reviews of The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert

Book Review: Well written and easy to read
Summary: 5 Stars

Summary of The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert

Gottman, the director of the Gottman Institute, has found through studying hundreds of couples in his "love lab" that it only takes five minutes for him to predict--with 91 percent accuracy--which couples will eventually divorce. He shares the four not-so-obvious signs of a troubled relationship that he looks for, using sometimes amusing passages from his sessions with married couples. (One standout is Rory, the pediatrician who didn't know the name of the family dog because he spent so much time at work.)

Gottman debunks many myths about divorce (primary among them that affairs are at the root of most splits). He also reveals surprising facts about couples who stay together. They do engage in screaming matches. And they certainly don't resolve every problem. "Take Allan and Betty," he writes. "When Allan gets annoyed at Betty, he turns on ESPN. When Betty is upset with him, she heads for the mall. Then they regroup and go on as if nothing's happened. Never in forty-five years of marriage have they sat down to have a 'dialogue' about their relationship." While this may sound like a couple in trouble, Gottman found that they pass the love-lab tests and say honestly that "they are both very satisfied with their relationship and they love each other deeply."

Through a series of in-depth quizzes, checklists, and exercises, similar to the ones he uses in his workshops, Gottman provides the framework for coping with differences and strengthening your marriage. His profiles of troubled couples rescued from the brink of divorce (including that of Rory, the out-of-touch doctor) and those of still-happy couples who reinvigorate their relationships are equally enlightening. --Erica Jorgensen

John Gottman has revolutionized the study of marriage by using rigorous scientific procedures to observe the habits of married couples in unprecedented detail over many years. Here is the culmination of his life's work: the seven principles that guide couples on the path toward a harmonious and long-lasting relationship.

Packed with practical questionnaires and exercises, The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work is the definitive guide for anyone who wants their relationship to attain its highest potential.

"An eminently practical guide to an emotionally intelligent -- and long-lasting -- marriage."
   DANIEL GOLEMAN, AUTHOR OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE

"Gottman stays refreshingly down to earth, rather than on Mars and Venus."
   BILL MARVEL AND GEOFFREY NORMAN, AMERICAN WAY

"Gottman comes to this endeavor with the best of qualifications: he's got the spirit of a scientist and the soul of a romantic."
   NEWSWEEK

"Twenty-five years of landmark marital research."
   USA TODAY

"Offers something every relationship can benefit from."
   SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER

"Astonishing new research!"
   WOMAN'S WORLD

Interpersonal Relations Books

• Health, Mind & Body > Relationships
• Marriage
• Health, Mind & Body: General