"This book is a powerful tool that should be read by every single looking to tie the knot"

Beating the Marriage Odds By William R. Campbell

Reviewed by Amanda at Graphoniac

ISBN: 1-935265-03-2
VMI Publishers, © 2009
$11.69 @ Amazon.com

Overall Grade: A+
Great prep course for the engaged, refresher for the married
It's no secret that America's divorce rate is 50%. What may surprise you is that this is true, even of Christian couples, those who vow before God to stay together "until death." It's shocking and sad.

But it doesn't matter whether you are Christian or not. If you have the average American mindset, and you're thinking about getting married, you've got a 50/50 chance of staying married.

Whatever happened to lifetime commitment? Is it possible to stay married, and never divorce? In his book, Beating the Marriage Odds, William R. Campbell says, resoundingly "Yes."

But wait a minute. Mr. Campbell has already been divorced... so what does he know?

Well, I read his book, and I'd say he knows a great deal. I've only been married since 2008, but that's already longer than many of my peers. And I'd state, without hesitating, that I have a solid marriage. How? By the training of my own parents, and the counsel of long-married couples in my church, before we wed, my husband and I read a book similar to this one.

If I were to sum up what this book advocates into just one word, it'd be Teamwork. In my own experience and observation, I'd say Campbell's right. No marriage--or other relationship, for that matter--can survive without teamwork. That means truly honest communication between partners, unqualified mutual respect, and determination to make it work. As Campbell points out, if you go into marriage thinking of failure, you're highly likely to fail. If failure isn't ever an option, you're much more likely to succeed.


Each chapter in this book focuses on one principle that any marriage--Christian or not--must have, in order to last. Actual examples illustrate the concepts, and Scripture and statistics are used to support them. In the back of the book are study helps that can be used by counselors or by a couple to help take each of these principles and apply them to real life.

This book is a powerful tool that should be read by every single looking to tie the knot.

Pros:

• Solid tips based on Scripture, statistics, and personal experience
• Tell-it-as-it-is approach
• Easy to understand
• Practical applications
• Quick read--doesn't trail on and on
• Study material and other helps in the back

Cons:

• Can't honestly see any, unless you have a hard time reading books about marriage written by a previously divorced author. I personally like his unique perspective.

This product was provided, free of charge, to Graphoniac for review. All opinions are my own.