What do you think?
Rate this book
Passages of Marriage: Five Growth Stages That Will Take Your Marriage to Greater Intimacy and Fulfillment
Examines the five passages of marriage that couples must complete to build a relationship to its full potential
335 pages, Hardcover
First published October 1, 1991
2 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 11, 2016
This is one of the ages, I think. I really enjoyed Passages of Marriage. These Passages are something I hadn't heard of before I picked up this book but they really make a lot of sense.
No matter what Passage you may be in, read through them all as they all offer sound advice that can be applied at any stage (or Passage).
I loved following Carl through this book - I felt his joy and his pain, and I cried at some points. His story with Bess, and beyond, is a wonderful addition to Passages of Marriage.
I come from an only child household and my parents have been married for 37 years. They face problems head on, together. They're open and honest with each other and me and my husband. They're true role models in that sense and more. This all matters in the context of Passages of Marriage.
I do have two negatives about this book but they're pretty minor.
The first is the advice to not talk about previous relationships with your spouse in detail. My husband and I have talked about who came before us, respectively, and it did a world of good for us, for our growth and for our understanding of each other and why we do what we do. I personally believe in this kind of conversation but only with an open mind and open heart.
My other problem, again minor, is the use of the word 'grieve'. This means different things to everyone, and we're told a lot in this book to grieve certain things. I believe this can be taken the wrong way and could push people in the opposite direction. What I got out of it is this: acknowledge your feelings and allow yourself to feel those things. Accept what happened and what is; let it go in your heart and mind. It doesn't necessarily mean sit down and cry - just let it out somehow, openly and honestly with yourself first.
I'd definitely recommend this book to couples that are engaged, happy couples and the couples that need help. Well written and easy to understand, Passages of Marriage is a book everyone could have a positive take-away from.
No matter what Passage you may be in, read through them all as they all offer sound advice that can be applied at any stage (or Passage).
I loved following Carl through this book - I felt his joy and his pain, and I cried at some points. His story with Bess, and beyond, is a wonderful addition to Passages of Marriage.
I come from an only child household and my parents have been married for 37 years. They face problems head on, together. They're open and honest with each other and me and my husband. They're true role models in that sense and more. This all matters in the context of Passages of Marriage.
I do have two negatives about this book but they're pretty minor.
The first is the advice to not talk about previous relationships with your spouse in detail. My husband and I have talked about who came before us, respectively, and it did a world of good for us, for our growth and for our understanding of each other and why we do what we do. I personally believe in this kind of conversation but only with an open mind and open heart.
My other problem, again minor, is the use of the word 'grieve'. This means different things to everyone, and we're told a lot in this book to grieve certain things. I believe this can be taken the wrong way and could push people in the opposite direction. What I got out of it is this: acknowledge your feelings and allow yourself to feel those things. Accept what happened and what is; let it go in your heart and mind. It doesn't necessarily mean sit down and cry - just let it out somehow, openly and honestly with yourself first.
I'd definitely recommend this book to couples that are engaged, happy couples and the couples that need help. Well written and easy to understand, Passages of Marriage is a book everyone could have a positive take-away from.
December 7, 2023
Clearly written and easy to understand. I recommend this book to any married couple, no matter how long they've been married. This is a book that I've read several times over the years. As I went through each passage timeframe in my marriage, I'd pull this book off my bookshelf and read up on the passage I'm in and the one coming up. I've found the book to accurately reflect the way marriage works and the outside pressures that shift and change and affect it.
A good marriage doesn't just happen -- it's on purpose, intentional, and takes work. It's so worth the effort! As I type this I'm celebrating my 34th anniversary, nearing the end of the fourth passage ("Renewing Love" 26th-35th year) and looking forward to "Transcendent Love"... 36 years and onward.
A good marriage doesn't just happen -- it's on purpose, intentional, and takes work. It's so worth the effort! As I type this I'm celebrating my 34th anniversary, nearing the end of the fourth passage ("Renewing Love" 26th-35th year) and looking forward to "Transcendent Love"... 36 years and onward.
June 23, 2016
I read this book because I thought I would like a Christian approach to the psychology of marriage. I was not disappointed. Interestingly, all marriages will go through the stages outlined no matter how many times the person has married or at what age. The authors give clinical examples as well as "worksheet" questions for those who want to go that route
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews