Marabel Morgan

—Referenced in Andrea Dworkin's Right-wing Women
—Is this where the Evelyn's idea to dress herself in plastic wrap came from? (Fried Green Tomatoes)
—Lots of misogyny, but no surprise there: women should be up for PIV whenever (don't ever say no; one of the recommended exercises is to initiate sex every day for a week, regardless of whether you want it), wives are the source of all and any "marital strife," and mothers are responsible if a son turns out ~homosexual~
—Name-dropped: James Dobson, Anita Bryant
—Writing style is conversational and readable
—It's a mix of all kinds of psychological and self-help tactics with Biblical passages and misogyny, so some of the recommendations are reasonable and generally achievable (e.g., prioritize, be positive to make others also be positive, encourage your children) — although the goals presented are not (submit to your husband, build your life around a man)
—I've tried out the "$25,000 idea" for getting stuff done at work, and it's actually pretty useful
—An interesting glimpse into 1970s American anti-feminist backlash, helps provide a clearer picture of the cultural context… (altro)

When she was in third grade, Marabel Morgan's parents went through a divorce. By the time she was an adult, Marabel was looking forward to her own marriage and she felt determined that divorce would never happen to herself or her husband. After all, Charlie was her best friend and they loved each other dearly. Sure, there were certain tiny details - things that could be made better about Charlie - but as his wife, Marabel felt confident that she was up for such a challenge. It was a personal project that she entitled: 'Project: Change Charlie'.

Approximately two years into her marriage, Marabel discovered that her "moonlight and roses had turned to daylight and dishes." She and Charlie weren't necessarily awful to each other - they were still unfailingly polite - it was just that the romance was no longer there; the sparkle was beginning to fade. Marabel Morgan was perplexed. Everything she had done to change her husband didn't appear to have worked, and the tension in their marriage seemed to be getting progressively worse.

So it was that Marabel's quest for marriage survival began in earnest. Since trying to change Charlie wasn't working out, she decided that she needed to change her tactics. It was time for Marabel to start a brand new project: 'Project: Change Marabel'.

When I first started reading this book I hadn't heard of Marabel Morgan, although, since I've finished it I've learned that in the 1970's Ms. Morgan was the spearhead of a hugely successful movement known as 'The Total Woman'. While I've never ascribed to this particular movement, myself, I suppose I can understand how it might become popular with some women. I have also noticed that among certain women - particularly Christians - it seems that there has been a recent resurgence in Ms. Morgan's ideas of a 'Submissive Marriage' - if watching 'The Learning Channel' can be any guide for me.

In my opinion, while this book was extremely outdated for being written in 1976, the idea of living your life and dealing with your marriage according to Biblical ideals is certainly appealing. I can also understand how the women of today hear the term 'Submissive Marriage', and their hackles immediately raise. To be perfectly honest, even the hair on my own neck stood up a little and took notice. However, if the practice works well for the women who decide to implement it, then I have no problem with that. Overall, I would give this book a B+!… (altro)