Nature's Masterpiece - Softcover

Purves, Libby

3.43

7 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0340751355 ISBN 13: 9780340751350

Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Ltd, 2000

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'The family is nature's masterpiece' - George Santayana

A compendium of practical advice and reflections on modern family life in the age of computer gaming, ever younger drug and drink problems, educational upheaval and concerns about the way children's freedom, health and personal development are threatened by considerations of safety.

Libby also considers the maintenance of marriage in an age of rising divorce and stepfamilies, a balanced approach to sexual threats to children, and the dangers and opportunities for family life caused by dual careers, teleworking, and other trends in the modern workplace.

Each subject is treated with wit and brevity to make the book a delight to read as well as providing a fund of useful advice.

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Review:

Libby Purves draws on the experiences of her previous books, How Not to be a Perfect Family and How Not to Raise a Perfect Child, to bring us Nature's Masterpiece: A Family Survival Book, a book that extends beyond the boundaries of perfect parenting and examines the realities of being the grown-up in a relationship.

From the challenges that confront today's parents--computer games, drugs, alcohol, depression--to finding a balance between the protective and the over-protective, Purves' essays on the nature of the family in a modern world are delivered with brevity, good humour and a prevalent common-sense that sensitively avoids preaching and advice-giving. Instead, Purves dishes out sound ideas on juggling family life in a world that seems intent on making things difficult, whether facing up to life as a single parent or struggling to come to terms with coupledom-plus-kids.

From bad language and discipline to pets and parties, from nursery tales and one-up-mums to quibbling siblings and marriage maintenance, Purves hits home in this snappy, dip-into book that will draw sighs of relief, giggles of gratitude and a general all-round thank you from any parent on the search for a little support and common sense. --Susan Harrison

Review:

'Purves is back, with a compendium of practical advice, full of witty musings and . . . calm good sense' -- Woman and Home

'lots of practical advice' -- Birmingham Evening Mail

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