Hewlett, Sylvia Ann, West, Cornel
Description
From AudioFile For listeners with the time and interest, this 12-hour program is a moving reflection of the broad sensibilities of the two authors and
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the seriousness of their topic. Both are acclaimed academic writers with popular books under their belts, and the flow of stories and broad insights is highly relevant to parenting in today's X-rated world. Parents don't get enough support from our political and social institutions, the authors say, and they make this argument with a cross section of historical notes and personal vignettes that are seamlessly written. The narrators are excellent for this material, which in less capable hands would probably lose all but the most zealous listeners. T.W. © AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine Product Description One of the best-kept secrets of the last thirty years is that big business, government, and the wider culture have waged a silent war against parents, undermining the work that they do
.parents have been left twisting in the wind by a society intent on other agendas.from the bookIn The War against Parents, two different parents from diverse backgroundsa female economist from Wales and an African American religious studies professor from inner city Americacome together to assay what they describe as the world's antagonism toward parenting. Analyzing the trends that have led to this shift of balance, from changing political and economic forces to the rise of television and divorce, they call for a Parents' Bill of Rights to restore the dignity of the parental role and our nation's commitment to the well-being of children. From Library Journal In an unusual partnership, economist Hewlett and African American and religious studies professor West offer their views about and solutions to a society that, in their view, does not value or support parents. Beginning with detailed accounts of their own diverse yet surprisingly similar backgrounds in Wales and inner-city America, respectively, the authors provide historical information about families who were well supported in the 1950s and 1960s. In the late 1960s and 1970s, however, political, economic, and societal changes led to the demise of the solid family structure. According to the authors, several factors, including television, divorce, and taxes, are to blame. West and Hewlett advise political and cultural environments to embrace families and that a "Parents' Bill of Rights" be implemented. Read in tandem by Marguerite Gavin and Lloyd James, this insightful book provides much food for a diverse audience interested in any aspect of family and its relationship to society.DSusan McCaffrey, Haslett H.S., MI Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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