Book ~ "A History of Marriage" (2010) Elizabeth Abbott

From Goodreads ~ What does the "tradition of marriage" really look like? 

In "A History of Marriage", Elizabeth Abbott paints an often surprising picture of this most public, yet most intimate, institution. Ritual of romance, or social obligation? Eternal bliss, or cult of domesticity? 

Abbott reveals a complex tradition that includes same-sex unions, arranged marriages, dowries, self-marriages, and child brides. Marriage - in all its loving, unloving, decadent, and impoverished manifestations - is revealed here through Abbott's infectious curiosity.

This is a big book (460 pages) about everything you ever wanted to know about marriage!

It was really interesting to learn about marriages before the 20th century. I would have been a lousy wife back then! I can see why some women were happy to be spinsters ... that would have been me.