[The book] will make you aware of differences in marriages and families; alert you to diversity in the family; stress that different does not necessarily mean better or worse; and place the family in sociological, historical, and cross-cultural perspective. The book focuses, too, on current and emerging social trends and on public policy affecting American families.... [The book] was written with the assumption that many readers will have no other sociology, or perhaps social science, courses.... This book is not a "how-to" cookbook on marriage and family issues but represents an approach evolving from theoretical frameworks and empirical research. [The book] is designed primarily for undergraduate students. -Pref.