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Review Summary: A proud and opinionated woman's instruction manual for life |
Date: 2009-01-03 |
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Details: This was the first book I read on the topics of marriage and being a good wife and mother. I read it a couple of times during my first pregnancy, shortly after getting married.
I liked it at first, at a time when I had little to do, with no job, expecting my first baby and newly married, all the things she had to say about respecting one's husband, loving one's children and being there for them, and not going out to work, were just what I wanted to hear. I was happy to read affirmations for the way of life I had chosen.
I began talking with my husband about homeschooling, the evils of public schools, the evils of TV, of contraception, of "kinky sex", all the while exalting separation from the world.
A few years later, I view the book differently. I think Mary Pride goes a few steps too far teaching younger women HER views in the name of Jesus. Her advice (more like instruction) is given in a condescending, blunt and often sarcastic tone, very forceful, and dismissing any other approaches. A lot of it is just her opinion.
She teaches women NOT ONLY to respect their husbands and be good workers at home (Biblical and good) but also how to have sex, how to educate their children, what type of work is appropriate, and other non-biblical, personal views.
Thankfully, when she talks about women working from home, she tells them to consult their husbands. Thankfully, because she doesn't always do this, and if she truly believes wives should be helpers of their husbands, and not "independent", she shouldn't be filling their heads with ideas, however puritanical, conservative, and aparently husband-honoring. She would do better telling wives to go ask their husbands what they would like.
If she is teaching wives not to go out and work, or to keep going in order to be obedient, but to try and influence/manipulate the husband into giving in and letting her stay home, she is effectively overstepping the boundary of marriage. A husband and a wife should make these decisions together. There is no Biblical law against married women working outside of the home, so there is no need to tell a wife to pray like crazy while still obeying in order to get her "disobedient husband" to agree to her obeying God's mandate.
The same goes for contraception, appropriate sex, modest clothing, children's education, whether or not to have a TV, etc.
It surprises me how some women, who are so strongly for unilateral submission and respect within marriage, write books aimed at wives instructing them on what is right and wrong to do regarding matters that she and her husband have to decide about together.
Another reviewer said some of her opinions are based on outdated information. I second that. The book is very outdated so read with that in mind.
If you want to read this book, do so with your thinking hat on. Compare what she says with Scripture, and discard her views if they don't line up with what you and your husband have prayerfully decided is best for your family. |
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Review Summary: Which translation of de Tocqueville's "Democracy in America"? |
Date: 2007-08-31 |
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Details: I'd like to learn which translation of Alexis de Tocqueville's "Democracy in America" Sarah Pride read in making reference to and commenting upon it in her review of June 1, 2004 entitled: The real story of Mary Pride.
I personally cannot rate this item right now, for I have not yet read it, but I'm buying this book largely because of your review, Sarah, which I thought was very helpful.
Since I apparently cannot leave the item unrated (for Amazon rejects my review without a rating), I shall rate it positively in anticipation that it will match my evaluation of the other books I've read by Mary Pride. |
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Review Summary: A little too much Pride |
Date: 2007-07-23 |
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Details: Firstly, I think any woman who speaks of the blessing of being a mother and wife is to be praised. Many who look at a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom) automatically think of dirty dishes and aprons, not realizing how wonderful it is to raise children and be a life-partner to a man in Christ. Having said this, Mary Pride's book is, unfortunetly, not just filled with praises of the home, but with harsh condemnations of women who don't work at home and people who don't share her often rigid views.
I once heard a person describe another book as "so conservative, it left little room for personality". While I of course respect conservatives and know they have personalities, I think this description fits Mary Pride's book perfectly. To call Pride merely conservative is an understatement; she's really closer to puritanical, in both beliefs and tone. Pride is not only interested in women working at home, but basically doing everything at home: home births, home schooling, you name it. Her extremely old-fashioned mindset is by no means right for everyone, and her extremely judgemental tone of women who dare to work outside the home is often hard to swallow.
Pride's harsh and rather compassionless tone reached its peak when she spoke of family planning. According to her, "Family planning is the mother of abortion." I won't mince words here; that is honestly one of the biggest crocks I've ever read, not to mention the most offensive. How Pride dares to compare the attempt to manage reproduction to the removal of an embryo (or worse, a half-formed baby) is beyond me. It's my opinion that if a person, especially a Christian, is not willing to really consider the position of other people, she has no business writing a book. What of women who have health problems, or God forbid would like to stop having children after giving birth to and raising six? Neither Pride nor anyone else, man or woman, has the right to tell them what they should do! A truly humble woman should be willing to admit that her lifestyle doesn't work for everyone and that people don't appreciate being condescended to, especially with such outrageous overgeneralization and faulty comparisons.
Pride doesn't hold back on giving her one-track opinion on anything, including sex. While unkinky sex (the type that Pride approves of) may be very enjoyable, I agree completely with the woman who said that what people do in their bedrooms is their business and their choice. As long as it's not sadistic, I believe married people have the right to do whatever pleases them without any outside judgement. Frankly, I have no wish whatsoever to know what Pride does in her own bedroom, anymore than I care to have her opinion on what's appropriate.
For a woman who claims her book is the way "Back to reality", Pride seems to have little knowledge of what goes on in the real world. Her definition of reality seems to be stuck in a Victorian or Puritanical society in which women were not allowed to do much more than bear children whether they liked it or not. Sometimes women HAVE to work outside the home and even if they do this by choice instead of necessity, it doesn't mean their children are automatically neglected or loved any less. This may shock Pride and her ilk, but there is more than one way to make a family work and a woman's role is not set in stone. Whatever you do, do in the name of God and the rest will follow.
If you're a burned out woman who forgets what worth the home has, this book may help you. However, if you're a staunch family planner or have had an abortion in the past, I don't recommend you read this, as Pride's harsh tone will probably do little to help you. |
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Review Summary: A Must-Read for Christian Women |
Date: 2005-11-26 |
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Details: This book should be required reading for every Christian woman. Mrs. Pride exposes the goals of the feminist movement and points out how many Christian women are furthering those goals. She demonstrates how our current (anti-Biblical) societal norms are destructive to family, and thus to society. Mrs. Pride's claims are well-documented. If you want to remain complacently in your comfort zone, fitting neatly into the world, then leave this book on the shelf. If, on the other hand, your desire is to please God and bring glory to the Saviour by being "not conformed to this world," then let this text transform your mind by its application of Scripture. |
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Review Summary: Did Mary hurt the feminists' feelings? |
Date: 2004-12-22 |
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Details: Some people are only "open-minded" when it comes to views that mesh with their worldview. That's what's going on in some of the previous reviews. For my part, I agree with the message that Mary Pride is teaching, and I admire that she's been able to accomplish what she has accomplished while performing her Biblically-defined duties as a wife and mother.
I think that feminism rejects Biblical standards and, as a result, has left many ruined lives in its wake. "Families maintained by women with no husband present increased three times as fast as married-couple families in the past 10 years." This is occurring as "Between 1994 and 2002 the number of felony convictions increased 20% in State courts." Tell me that changes in our family structure have not brought about negative results!
I am a 33 year old reformed feminist. I'm a college graduate, like some feminist reviewer here bragged about being. In fact, I graduated summa cum laude. Since I've figured out that I need to adopt God's chosen role for me, I've married and become a SAHM. And I've never been happier, even when I was earning a large annual income.
I'm a little confused over statements that women have always worked outside the home. On what planet? "Before the First World War, a non-working wife was the norm as wives devoted themselves to the comfort of husbands and children." "Women working in the 1800's were virtually unheard of".
I am grateful for women like Mary Pride, who tell it like they see it. I don't expect to agree with everything she says, and feel that if you read a book expecting it to affirm your values, then maybe you should only read books written by yourself? Basically, this woman is giving her viewpoint on a subject that can get quite touchy, and she's being denigrated by people who don't agree with her viewpoint. Never mind that it's well-argued and totally affirmed by what I've read in the Bible.
I think that's where the problem is! People who have rejected Biblical principles are reading this book expecting its opinions confirm their worldview. Not possible, I'm afraid. It boils down to this: You think that feminism has enabled you to choose to stay home with your kids. I (and I think Mrs. Pride) believe that I am able to stay with my daughter DESPITE what feminism tells me I should want. Sorry, but my husband is the only one acting like a man in this household, and that's how my daughter and I like it. |
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out of 35 Reviews
