Goodreads Mobile | see what your friends are reading

Mar 05, 2011

Malbadeen rated it:

My ex-husband brought this book home from work, for "no reason". I read it....right before the divorce.

5 comments like (37 people liked it)

Apr 15, 2008

Susie rated it:

I really liked the no-nonsense approach to this book. Throughout the book, I kept thinking of other names she could've titled this book. Here are a few:

*Stop being selfish you lousy wench

*You are not the center of the universe

*Duh, he's your husband. Not a doormat

*First you were Bridezilla, now you are Wifezilla

*You're not very likable. You're husband must be a saint

*Get a real life, soon please

*Change now or

8 comments like (43 people liked it)

Jan 22, 2008

Skylar rated it:

After re-reading this a second time, I lowered my rating from three to two stars and edited this review. This book does have some very valuable reminders, but if you want to learn and apply the same useful tidibits without having to endure the verbal beating of women as a group, without being subject to a double standard, and without being left with the impression that the woman is what’s wrong with every marriage conflict that has ever occurred since 1960, then read For Women Only instead.
More...

6 comments like (40 people liked it)

Mar 10, 2008

Jessica rated it:

The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands is based on the premise that men are simple and rather stupid. The thesis then, on that basis, is "give him direct communication, respect, appreciation, food, and good lovin', and he'll do just about anything you wish--foolish or not."

Dr. Laura Schlessinger demeans men throughout the book, constantly noting that a man is "inexorably dependent upon the approval, appreciation, and acceptance" of the woman. That may be true, bu More...

4 comments like (20 people liked it)

Dec 17, 2009

Kelly (happyklamb10) rated it:

I was given this book as a "gift" as I am getting married next month. I am actually somewhat offended by the person who gave it to me! Dr. Laura's basic points are good (respect your partner, communicate clearly, don't nag, etc.), but her methods are enough to make me cringe. This is 180 pages of her telling women to quit their jobs (because nature intends for you to raise kids, not work!) and skirt their own needs (in most cases) for the sake of pleasing their husbands. I'm all fo More...

6 comments like (12 people liked it)

Apr 10, 2008

Laura rated it:

I really enjoyed this book. It is not often you come across a New York time Best seller that promotes the value of marriage and the important role we have as husband and wife in a marriage. She really talks about how society has become so feminisitic and men suffer because of it. She talks about how women want equal rights as men; however, they still want men to be the same that they always have been. She talks about how in relationships we on certain levels think our husbands our responsible fo More...

4 comments like (6 people liked it)

Jan 21, 2008

Jessica rated it:

alright. i just finished this last night, and i'm still a little conflicted as to what i thought about it. if i could i'd probably give it 2 1/2 stars, but i'll admit that i had a definite bias going into reading the book because i can't stand dr. laura.

that being said, i can genuinely say that there were a few good points brought up in the book. namely that wives ought to treat their husbands with the love, honor, and respect they deserve. i also agree with her basic assumptio More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Jul 25, 2008

Elizabeth rated it:

I am almost ashamed to admit it, but I didn't think this book was that terrible. I had to skim some repetitive (and occasionally shrill) portions, but it had some good things to say. Upon reading it, I reflected on how I could be a better wife. I also recognized myself in some of the listener comments and felt convicted about times that I don't appreciate Sam for the wonderful man that he is. The author gets a bit of a bad rap for her purported hypocrisy, requiring things of women that she does More...

3 comments like (3 people liked it)

Aug 01, 2008

Tabitha rated it:

My sister-in-law recommended this book to me, and I recommend it to all wives in turn. Dr. Laura gives it to you straight and undiluted. Although sometimes painful to swallow (like a strong medicine rather than a poison), I have learned so much about how I can make my marriage stronger and be a better support to my husband thereby strengthening my family.

Her values coincide with my own beliefs on both a personal and spiritual level. For instance, Dr. Laura asserts that there are More...

3 comments like (9 people liked it)

Feb 29, 2008

Anna rated it:

I read this for a book club and it was very different from what I had expected. I was put-off by the title and felt it was condescending toward men. I quickly discovered that it was very different than my impression from the title. I found Dr. Laura to be extremely harsh and found it difficult to get through each page. Ever several pages, there seemed to be one sentence that I completely, 100% agreed with. But her delivery of the message is so abrasive. I felt like she was trying to teach More...

2 comments like (6 people liked it)

Jan 29, 2008

Elissa rated it:

I'm actually only halfway through this, but it has already changed my attitude toward my husband and marriage. I was somewhat skeptical starting this book, since I don't love listening to Dr. Laura or anything. But she really has a gift at uncovering people's motivations and showing them for what they really are. It made me realize why I have been doing (and not doing) certain things with regard to my husband. Most of these things were based on certain beliefs or attitudes that I didn't real More...

1 comment like (8 people liked it)

Jun 28, 2007

Amber rated it:

A good reminder that we need to have an attitude of service in our marriage. That we are together to take care of each other and not only to have our spouse take care of us.
This book was not at all what I expected it to be, it was a lot better. I'll be honest I'm not a Dr. Laura fan normally, but I found this book to be exactly what my marriage needed. It laid out in "women-speak" why men need the things they do and don't need the things we want them to. It bluntly says that More...

2 comments like (6 people liked it)

Jul 08, 2008

Jessica rated it:

I loved this book! It changed my life. I have a much better attitude about my marriage and my husband and all that he does for me. I highly recommend this book to everyone.

1 comment like (5 people liked it)

Dec 16, 2008

Cindy rated it:

This book has really opened my eyes to my bad habits and mean behaviors towards my very loyal, loving and respectful husband. Dr. Laura is not for everyone, and some more liberal in their approach and beliefs about dating are often offended. I also find her hard to listen to on the radio at times because she is so straight to the point and candid, and at times "jerky" in how she talks to her listeners. Be that as it may, she has pegged the female community. She has pegged me. Since More...

1 comment like (4 people liked it)

Mar 29, 2008

Stephanie rated it:

I read this book because several friends recommended it to me (including my husband -- he thinks he's so funny). At first, I was totally enthralled. I really liked her interpretation of the downfalls of the feminist movement. It made me think. I could really see how my perspective on marriage and gender roles in general were affected by feminism. I declared that I would embrace my role as wife and mother and all that it entails!
After this new idea wore off (about 10 pages in), I beg More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Feb 03, 2008

Cari rated it:

This is not a book I would have picked up on my own but it was on my book group list for this month. I'm not a big self help book reader and I don't know if that's because I don't think I need any help or because I don't want to admit I need help. I have never listened to Dr. Laura before so I had no idea she was such an anti feminist! This surprised me a bit as most outspoken women in the world today seem to take quite the opposite approach. This isn't what bothered me as those of you who k More...

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Jan 02, 2008

Hoku rated it:

I really found this book to be helpful. There is a lot of popular opinion out there about the roles of a man vs. a woman in a marriage, many of them promoting entitlement and selfishness in women. What is refreshing about this book is that Dr. Laura doesn't coddle her readers...she calls women to the carpet for their role in the deterioration of the quality and excitement of their marriages.
The best thing about this book, however, is the way she helps explain the power that women have More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 26, 2007

Stacey rated it:

OK, I know how this title sounds. Trust me, when a friend passed it on to me, I almost burned it on the spot along with my bra collection. But once I started skimming it, I sort of liked it and ended up reading the whole thing on a plane ride home from California (hey, one can only read Skymall so many times). The author's argument is based on the somewhat iffy logic that men are like dogs: eager to please, but not so much if you are mean to them. This book could be titled "Stop Being S More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Oct 12, 2007

Ivy rated it:

This book sparked conroversy in my family. One half of us thought the book made good points and put the way we treated our men in to perspective. The other half of us thought that this approach was unrealistic. Overall, my feeling about the book really cross over to real life for me. Although, I am not willing to go as far as she recommends for some things...I am my father's stubborn daughter. I work in a dental office and my first few weeks were very difficult for me. The Doctors are reall More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

May 12, 2008

Jayci rated it:

Dr. Laura is a very harsh woman. With that being said...I loved this book. What can be more important than a happy home? I understand that many woman feel that Dr. Laura has joined forces with the men, but if you take what she offers....we, as women, will be happier. We will get what we desire from our husbands...their love and concern. I don't see her as a traitor, but as a woman wanting to make our lives easier and our marriages more successful. How rude! By the way...why is it so painf More...

0 comments like (5 people liked it)

Mar 02, 2009

Liz rated it:

This is my first Dr. Laura book and I had mixed feelings about it. We read it for book club in December and it was a GREAT discussion....aka......no husband bashing and a lot of constructive comments. Anyway, I liked it because I came away with several areas that I could improve and there was some very constructive advice for women in general. BUT....it was a little too black and white for me. She made it sound like ALL women were petty and selfish and don't appreciate their husbands. She More...

2 comments like (1 person liked it)

Feb 22, 2009

Janet rated it:

I vacillate between 2 and 3 stars on this The Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands, a thrift store find. I’ve witnessed the oos and ahhs over Dr. Laura. Not into talk radio, and always into taking proper care of my own husband, I purchased this cheap opportunity to “hear” Dr. L visually on a subject of importance.

Written like one of her radio shows, excerpts from callers mingle with Dr. Laura’s advice. Simplified, Dr. Laura’s recommendations and admonishments focus primarily on sex More...

2 comments like (3 people liked it)

Jun 22, 2009

Mrs_M added it

Good grief! I read this book at my daughter's house when I was babysitting her sweet dogs and cats and all. She has it on her book shelf so I picked it up to see what all the "to-do" was about Dr. Laura. From what I heard of Dr. Laura's slaughter toward all the women who come to her for help and how she uses their respect for her against them, I wanted to see just what was being heeded to in our society. I wasn't about to pay for her works. So I read it at my daughter's house.
More...

1 comment like (5 people liked it)

Oct 14, 2008

Kristine rated it:

Ok, first of all I don't agree with everything in the book -- but after I read the book I had the best 6 weeks of my marriage, so take it for what it's worth. Also I like to give this book as a wedding gift. I wish I had read this book when I first got married -- it really helps with expectations and would have helped me to see things through her perspective.

2 comments like (3 people liked it)

May 20, 2008

Tawni rated it:

LOved this book. It made me treat Adam better, which makes it a great book to me! I think it mostly just makes wives realize how much their husbands do for them, but we take for granted. I would recommend this book to ANY wife out there!

2 comments like (3 people liked it)

Apr 13, 2011

Dani rated it:

True to form, Dr. Laura doesn't mince words and she isn't worried about hurting anyone's feelings. And even though she comes across as grossly one-sided and seems to over-generalize a lot, I think she's right on in most of what she says.

The message of her book is simple: if women want to be happy in their marriages, they need to be a lot less selfish, disabuse themselves of some false feminist doctrine, and ditch their flawed notions of control. Getting what you want from your husband More...