Fast-Forward Family: Home, Work, and Relationships in Middle-Class America (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780520273986)

Called "the most unusually voyeuristic anthropology study ever conducted" by the New York Times, this groundbreaking book provides an unprecedented glimpse into modern-day American families. In a study by the UCLA Sloan Center on Everyday Lives and Families, researchers tracked the daily lives of 32 dualworker middle class Los Angeles families between 2001 and 2004. The results are startling, and enlightening. Fast-Forward Family shines light on a variety of issues that face American families: the differing stress levels among parents; the problem of excessive clutter in the American home; the importance (and decline) of the family meal; the vanishing boundaries that once separated work and home life; and the challenges for parents as they try to reconcile ideals regarding what it means to be a good parent, a good worker, and a good spouse. Though there are also moments of connection, affection, and care, it's evident that life for 21st century working parents is frenetic, with extended work hours, children's activities, chores, meals to prepare, errands to run, and bills to pay.

Author: Elinor Ochs
ISBN-10: 0520273982
ISBN-13: 9780520273986
Publisher: University of California Press
Language: English
Published: 03/01/2013
Pages: 320
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.84lbs
Size: 8.98h x 6.06w x 0.59d

Review Citation(s):
Foreword 02/26/2013
Choice 08/01/2013