Book Review: Why Smart Men Marry Smart Women by Christine B. Whelan

Abstract

Christine B. Whelan's book Why Smart Men Marry Smart Women is either an "uncommonly silly" book or a comforting tome for women who are on the career track and are fearful that dedication to their careers will make marriage and family impossible. In reviewing this book, it is tough to choose between these two potential evaluations. Dr. Whelan should be applauded for taking on the common myth that the more education and career success a woman has, the less likely she will marry. The manner in which she does it, however, leaves open a number of issues, among them whether marriage should be the goal of these women. In fact, Whelan generally fails to consider the potential pitfalls of marriage, including high divorce rates. One is left wondering whether Whelan's time might have been more effectively spent writing an op-ed piece for the New York Times and researching what successful women should consider in creating a happy marriage.