Rating: 
Summary: A ridiculous and hurtful book.
Review: Reading this book I didn't know whether to laugh or burst in to tears or throw it across the room. Something about it just epidimizes every argument I've ever had with my own LDS culture about feminism. Fallacy piles upon fallacy -- the entire book is based on the premise that men are in independently incapable of love, and that women thus have to don an entire persona not their own in order to manipulate men into loving them. Although I'm not married myself, I have yet to see a marriage that I have any admiration for with any similarities to the recommended relationships in this book. I'd like to think I could marry a man who would love me for my own talents and abilities, not for my ability to wash the dishes and inability to mow the lawn. I want to marry for friendship as much as love, and this book denies that possibility. Where is there room for intelligent and worthwhile conversation in what this book prescribes? It's fine if a man needs to feel protective in order to love a woman; I'm not going to become weak and simpering to indulge this. What is so wrong with women who are self-sufficient, independent, intelligent, or even, God forbid, poor housekeepers? I refuse to believe that men *can't* love women like this. Andelin's citing of Dickens and Hugo only emphasizes that she is espousing nineteenth century fallacies and prejudices. In any case, I doubt any book in the history of the written word has done more dammage to adolescent girls. What gives Andelin the right to outline the limits within which girls can develop themselves? I only wish this book would go out of print and stay out, and stop undermining everything women through the ages have worked to hard to achieve.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent reading for those who want to make a change
Review: At first I was rebellious while reading. I thought (another one of those king of the jungle books) but, I saw a lot of myself in this book. Thank you Helen for this much much needed source of inspirational information. I once listened to a lady on a talk gospel show begging her husband to come back home, I wanted so desperately to find this woman and give my copy of this fascinating book to her. I felt her pain and I could identify. After prayer, reading this book, and making a change within myself, the wall has come down. We are taking baby steps but at least we are still together. Thank you Thank you Thank you and God Bless you. You saved my LIFE. I was on the verge of giving up! literally......
Rating:
Summary: Great Book
Review: It's amazing how it works... just try it. not long before you will have men flocking you like a goddess.
Rating:
Summary: The truth in Fascinating Womanhood.
Review: Fascinating Womanhood reveals the true meaning of patience, understanding, and acceptance when dealing with members of the oppisite sex, whether it be your husband, brother, father or friend.Trying to understand the characteristics of a male is expressed in this magnificent collaberation of stories.Accepting a male in every aspect and exploring the joy and privellege of being a woman are the areas so eloquently defined in this exciting and inspirational book.
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Summary: Helen Andelin's ideas are right on!
Review: In spite of the fact that some women find Helen Andelin's ideas antiquated, she knows what she's talking about and her methods WORK! They worked for me; they worked for my daughter. Go for it. It's worth a try. You won't be sorry.
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Summary: This book lies
Review: Under the guise of helping women improve their marriages, Helen Andelin, who has NO academic or counseling credentials (at least, none that she mentions), purports to tell all women how to have a happy marriage by submitting to their husbands. The lies are as follows: 1. No supporting documentation AT ALL besides case studies, unless you count fictional characters from Victor Hugo and Charles Dickens. 2. A purportedly Christian model of marriage, even though Andelin herself is LDS (Mormon), which is NOT a Christian church and has a different attitude toward women than Christianity (or Judaism, or Islam, or Buddhism). 3. It claims that women facing domestic violence should try Fascinating Womanhood before leaving. This is not only a lie, it is flat out dangerous. I wonder how many "fascinating women" have stayed married at the cost of broken bones and teeth? 4. An incredibly condescending view of men, as fragile creatures who can be easily manipulated into "cherishing" their wives, which seems to mean buying them lots of presents. 5. Most women in America don't work for luxuries - unless you count food, clothing, and shelter as "luxuries." This is an incredibly outdated view, supported by NOTHING but the author's belief. Has she truly read no census reports later than 1960? Doesn't she realize that in many parts of the country a couple can't afford a two bedroom apartment on one salary? Or that working class women frequently are the primary breadwinners? I could go on and on, but this book is nothing more than yet another example of misogynism masquerading as good advice. My husband actually grew *angry* at the veiled insults to men (not to mention the overt insults to women!), and said that if he ever caught me using such nonsense, he'd leave me at once. Absolutely horrible. If a woman's marriage is so bad that she feels compelled to do as this book suggests, she has my profound sympathy. Too bad Helen Andelin doesn't suggest that "woman, queen of earth's creatures" solve her marital problems by developing some self-respect and expecting her husband to act like an adult!
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Summary: The Original Feminism
Review: My grandmother, gave Fascinating Womanhood, to my mother and told her to read it. My mother and I thought it was just another funny old-fashioned "thing" that Gramma was giving away. We thought it was "anti-woman" and so backward. When I moved out to get married, my mother didn't want the book so I took it with me. Then one day, about a year into my marriage, I tore through all my old things to find it. My husband and I, were both at the end of our ropes with this marriage. I was so naive.I thought we would just get along because we loved each other. I remembered Fascinating Womanhood by Helen Andelin, and how my husband exhibited the very traits that she wrote of. So I dug it out and devoured every word. It described my husband exactly! It described how men and women are so different in thought, emotion and action. And it went beyond other marriage books I had read by telling me exactly what to do about it and when and how to do it! The next day, I decided to try the first assignment. The first assignment that is done towards the husband is: 1."Tell him something like the following: "I am glad that you are the kind of man you are. I can see that I have not understood you in the past and that I have made many mistakes. But, I am glad that you have not allowed me to push you around. You have not been like putty in my hands, but have had the courage of your convictions. Will you forgive me for not understanding you and let me prove to you that I am happy that you are the kind of man you are?...2. Look to his better side. 3. Make or Buy a little "Love Booklet" to write down the loving things your husband does or says as you begin to apply the principles of Fascinating Womanhood. Write any favorable reaction to the above assignments.Though, it wasn't an earth-shattering response, my husband actually reacted very positively! I just knew it was the answer I was looking for. Reading it also made me feel that we weren't alone in our problems, but actually typical. Now, I can understand my husband and why he is different. I rejoice in my role as a woman, and wife and (someday) mother. And I delight in my every-day duties as a wife. I now look forward to every day with my husband. I wish I could say that we never fight but every time we do, I can think back and see that if I had followed the book's principles better it probably wouldn't have happened and if it did I could've handled it better. I wish more ladies had the "joy in marriage" that it can bring! I know many women, like I was, trying to appear that they have a good marriage and desperately searching for answers on the inside. Fascinating Womanhood by Helen Andelin, directs women to universal principles and takes them to their logical conclusion, through practicality. I hope that more people will read the book and share it with as many women as they can. And maybe someday, our country will be known as a country that represents happiness in marriage and not an increasing divorce rate.
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Summary: One of my all time favorite books.
Review: I have been married for 15 very rewarding and exciting years and I love homemaking and being a wife and mother. Most women naturally do and here is a rare book full of encouragement and timeless wisdom. I found the section on understanding men especially helpful and also the insightful chapter on the feminine manner and worthy character. My most favorite chapter describes the domestic goddess, who lives in the present, doing her duty, giving all her love and attention to it, like a little girl playing house, doing the same things over and over again but with great dedication and enthusiam. Never in a rush to get it done with and on to other things. With the right attitude, all our activities, big or small, are joyful and this book says a lot about right attitudes. I think one of the most important points Mrs. Andelin brings out is that happiness isn't just a matter of "deciding to be happy". It requires understanding and submission to nature's (the Supreme Lord's) laws. Ultimately it is a matter of following God's (whom I call Lord Krishna) plan in order to be successful in life, marriage or any other activity. Only then can one have the proper vision. To see things how they really are. I plan to pass this book on to my daughter. It should be required reading for all young women. Thank you so much Mrs. Andelin
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Summary: Would be repulsive in the 19th century, never mind the 21st
Review: "Fascinating Womanhood" is overwhelmingly popular among the followers of the Unification Church (i.e., the Moonies), who have said that this is a near-perfect depiction of how women should relate to men. You'd think THAT might clue in some of the women who've given this book five stars...
Rating:
Summary: Most damaging to women
Review: I would prefer to give it no stars...My mother-in-law read this book faithfully at the beginning of her marriage 49 years ago. After she told me this little fact I understood her motivation completely. This book will teach you to become as she did: subservient, dominated, doormatted, downtrodden, ruled and made to feel like a second-class citizen with no brain or thought-process of your own. By all means, go for it if that's what you desire! She took it to heart and used it like a Bible, much to her husband's delight. And just recently started to wonder if maybe she made a mistake. A kind, loving woman has been reduced to a scared, insecure person with absolutely no sense of self-confidence other than what her husband tells her she ought to have. A sad, sad commentary on the way women used to be viewed and unfortunately, obviously, still are, judging by the fact that it's still in print and so popular with so many [misguided] souls. I feel sorry for anyone who follows this book!
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