The Broken Hearth Reversing the Moral Collapse of the American Family

by BENNETT, WILLIAM J.

• ISBN13: 9780767905138
• ISBN10: 076790513X
• Edition: Reprint
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-03-18
• Publisher: Crown

Summary

Bestselling author William Bennett addresses the central social issue of our timethe deline of the familyin a book as intellectually provocative and politically controversial as his landmarkThe Death of Outrage. Our recent economic prosperity has masked the devastation of the American family, which is now under seige as never before. From the dramatic rise in illegitimacy, divorce, and single parenthood to the call for the recognition of gay marriages, the traditional nuclear family is being radically challenged and undermined, along with the moral and legal consensus that once supported it. Now inThe Broken Hearth, William Bennett, America's foremost conservative spokesperson on matters of family values, presents a strong, well-reasoned, and informed defense of the traditional family. Interweaving history, anthropology, law, social science, and the teachings of Western religions, he argues that marriage between a man and a woman and the creation of a permanent, loving, and nurturing environment for children is a great historical achievement, one that should not be lightly abandoned in favor of more "progressive" arrangements. Bennett displays his ability to combine fearless conviction, acute insight, and respect for his adversaries in thorough, balanced, and enlightening discussions of single parenthood, cohabitation, gay marriage, and other trends that are undercuttingthe ideal of the family as the essential foundation of society. Looking closely at the concerns and questions that divide America, Bennett provides a powerful affirmation of family life and the values and benefits it bestows on individuals and on society as a whole. From the Hardcover edition.

Author Biography

William J. Bennett is codirector of Empower America, and founder and chairman of K12, an Internet-based elementary and secondary school. He is the editor of <b>The Book of Virtues</b><i> </i>and <b>The Moral Compass</b> and the author of several books, including the bestsellers <b>The Death of Outrage</b> and, most recently, <b>The Educated Child: A Parent’s Guide</b>. He lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland, with his wife, Elayne, and their two sons.<br><br><br><i>From the Hardcover edition.</i>

Table of Contents

Preface	1	(8)
The State of Marriage and the Family	8	(33)
The Family in History	41	(30)
Cohabitation, Illegitimacy, Fatherlessness	71	(30)
Homosexual Unions	101	(38)
Divorce	139	(32)
A Few Home Truths	171	(20)
Index	191