The Meaning of Wife

I just finished reading The Meaning of Wife: A provocative look at women and marriage in the twenty-first century by Anne Kingston.

It was an interesting book to read over the last few months while I was preparing to get married on June 12.

The book begins with the process of becoming a wife, the bride phase, in which I am thoroughly entrenched.  The white tulle dress, the butter cream frosting, which shade of lavender, all those questions surrounding the party.  Marc & I thankfully have focused also on the marriage not just the wedding, though those details have made the last year full of choices and compromises.

There was a small section on how to be a wife which was centered on the bedroom. And although I'm sure this is important, I was wanting more ideas of how to be a good wife while remaining a fulfilled woman.  It was hinted that this superwoman ideal is not realistic since there are few role models who succeed at being a wife, a mother, and a career woman, but I still believe this is a realistic option, perhaps just not all at the exact same moment.

Most of the book was then concentrated on abused wives, divorced former wives, and the monetary value of a wife. So, the negative aspects of being a wife were highlighted and the end of a marriage therefore the end of being a wife was also highlighted.  So, this really was a social look into the meaning of 'wife' not a guide to learn.

I have other books that I may read on this subject, but I suppose the experience of being a wife will help teach me on how to be the best wife to my future husband.