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The War against Parents: What We Can Do for America’s Beleaguered Moms and Dads Audiobook
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(3.15) - 27 listener ratings
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“One of the best-kept secrets of the last thirty years is that big business, government, and the wider culture have waged a silent war against parents, undermining the work that they do…parents have been left twisting in the wind by a society intent on other agendas.”—from the book
In The War against Parents, two different parents from diverse backgrounds—a female economist from Wales and an African American religious studies professor from inner city America—come together to assay what they describe as the world’s antagonism toward parenting. Analyzing the trends that have led to this shift of balance, from changing political and economic forces to the rise of television and divorce, they call for a Parents’ Bill of Rights to restore the dignity of the parental role and our nation’s commitment to the well-being of children.
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"A bit unnerving in its exposure of structural causes of very personal difficulties, but as a sociologist, I was grateful to have this knowledge in my toolbox. Especially since I consider myself a potential parent with loads to learn. "
— Ruth (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“This splendid book tells more about the crisis our children face today and what we as a nation must do about it than anything I have read.”
— Doris Kearns Goodwin -
“A moving reflection…The narrators are excellent for this material.”
— AudioFile -
“A powerful call for parents to organize and fight back against a society that pays lip service to family values, then abandons mothers and fathers to an economic and political swamp…A potent presentation that may energize legislators and policymakers to end the ‘war’ and reassess the needs of families.”
— Kirkus Reviews -
“Read in tandem by Marguerite Gavin and Lloyd James, this insightful book provides much food for a diverse audience interested in any aspect of family and its relationship to society.”
— Library Journal
The War against Parents Listener Reviews
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" Bitted and parted around in this book. Social policy is so very different in Canada, but had some interesting ideas. "
— Shannon, 10/26/2013 -
" A bit unnerving in its exposure of structural causes of very personal difficulties, but as a sociologist, I was grateful to have this knowledge in my toolbox. Especially since I consider myself a potential parent with loads to learn. "
— Ruth, 3/20/2011 -
" What we are up against as Parents in the 21st Century. We have it much tougher than our parents. The government along with "Family Values" politicians have not been our side as much as they proclaim. Very important read! "
— Marcus, 12/15/2010 -
" Bitted and parted around in this book. Social policy is so very different in Canada, but had some interesting ideas. "
— Shannon, 11/21/2010 -
" What we are up against as Parents in the 21st Century. We have it much tougher than our parents. The government along with "Family Values" politicians have not been our side as much as they proclaim. Very important read! "
— Marcus, 12/26/2008
About the Authors
Sylvia Ann Hewlett is an economist and the author of several books, including the award-winning When the Bough Breaks. She is the founder and president of the National Parenting Association and directs the Gender and Policy Program at the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University. Her writings have appeared in the New York Times, Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, and the International Herald Tribune. She is also a frequent guest on television, appearing on Oprah, Newshour with Jim Lehrer, Charlie Rose, and the Today show. A Kennedy scholar and graduate of Cambridge University, she earned her PhD in economics at London University and currently lives in New York City.
Cornel West is a philosopher, academic, activist, author, actor, critic, and prominent member of the Democratic Socialists of America. He is a graduate of Harvard University and received his PhD at Princeton University. The author of numerous books and articles, he is best known for his three New York Times bestsellers Race Matters, Democracy Matters, and Rich and the Rest of Us, co-authored with Tavis Smiley, as well as his memoir Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud. He appears frequently on the Bill Maher Show, Colbert Report, CNN, and C-Span; he has also appeared in over twenty-five documentaries and films, including Examined Life, Call & Response, Sidewalk, and Stand.
About the Narrators
Marguerite Gavin is a seasoned theater veteran, a five-time nominee for the prestigious Audie Award, and the winner of numerous AudioFile Earphones and Publishers Weekly awards. She has been an actor, director, and audiobook narrator for her entire professional career. With over four hundred titles to her credit, her narration spans nearly every genre, from nonfiction to mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and children’s fiction. AudioFile magazine says, “Marguerite Gavin…has a sonorous voice, rich and full of emotion.”
Lloyd James (a.k.a. Sean Pratt) has been a working professional actor in theater, film, television, and voice-overs for more than thirty years. He has narrated over one thousand audiobooks and won numerous Earphones Awards and nominations for the Audie Award and the Voice Arts Award. He holds a BFA degree in acting from Santa Fe University, New Mexico.