Product Description

This book studies the evolution of the family from the sixteenth to the eighteenth century and how the process radically influenced child-rearing, education, contraception, sexual behaviour and marriage.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #229816 in Books
• Published on: 1990-11-29
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 464 pages

About the Author
Lawrence Stone (1919-1999) was a professor of history at Princeton University. His other books include The Crisis of the Aristocracy: 1558-1641 and The Causes of the English Revolution, 1529-1642.

Customer Reviews

Valuable, useful, and intriguing, but retain your skepticism
Among students of the early modern period, Lawrence Stone's works still draw strongly differing opinions. Non-specialist readers of *Family, Sex and Marriage in England 1500-1800* should keep in mind that Stone here offers an interpretation of the data available to him at his time of writing, and that his interpretation has been challenged by other scholars. One point that continues to be controversial is his assertion that Renaissance-era families were characterized by a conspicuous lack of intra-familial "affect" -- in other words, that people in this historical period simply felt less strongly about members of their family than would become expected in later years. Stone justifies this assertion by references to high infant mortality rates, high rates of maternal death, the interruption of maternal-child bonding that he assumes would proceed from the practice of wet-nursing, and evidence gleaned from correspondence, diaries and other primary source material. It is possible that Stone is correct in his interpretation, but critics have pointed out that he does rely, perhaps excessively, on evidence that is often anecdotal. The inherent risk in Stone's method is that of over-generalization: drawing general, and at times sweeping, generalization from a limited number of particular cases. That said, however, much of the information presented in this book is of great value for anyone interested in the social history of England from 1500 to 1800. The book also serves as a sharp reminder that it is dangerous to assume that people in the past were "like us." Stone's work is corrective, reminding the reader that the past is indeed another country.

Fascinating insight into the daily life's of our ancestors
This is one of my favourite books, because its about human behavior and habits that for me are totally fascinating. When we study history at school we in the main learn political history, kings and queens, battles and generals, so during the period in question I suspect everyone could name one of the Tudors, but, would any of us really have an understanding of how those people lived on a daily basis. Enter this book, it covers the main aspects of Love, Sex and Marriage during this period, including details such as confinement, dowries, parent child relationships, sexual habits, contraception, child-birth, and, even includes an analysis of the sexual behaviors of Samuel Pepys and James Boswell.

I found it extremely readable and full of fascinating facts, for instance, it describes an ancient courting ritual of ''bundling'' which was a means of couples getting to know each other physically and mentally before marriage which consisted of them spending the night together in the same bed, either, fully clothed or with a board between them. Or how about the detailed personal hygiene or lack of it of both the upper and lower classes which would have been so revolting to our twentieth century noses that one wonders how they got to together often enough to have children at all. Or how one found a wet nurse to feed your children or how rich women would rather avoid sex as it contained too many medical risks. Reading this book I was constantly reminded that we tend to think that our essentially victorian values of family and sex are the norm but our ancestors had completely different customers and behaviours.

So, whether its great historical analysis it didn't matter to me (although its very disappointing there is no detailed Bibliography), I find it a source of endless fascination into our relatively close ancestors by showing how they lived together, if therefore, you're someone who is interested in the way we used to live, and mate, and bond or not wash ourselves its a completely fascinating read

The Family, Sex and Marriage in England, 1500-1800
This is an excellent book, which provides very interesting and useful information of a range of areas within the compass of the title. I have used it for my Masters work and have found it clear and easy to assimilate.
Highly regarded and a must for any student of history/literature, but also accessible for the interested general reader.