Every title we list here comes with our highest recommendation. Your purchases are fulfilled by Powells Books, an iconic bookstore in Portland, Oregon. Support an independent bookstore and UE in one transaction! Happy reading.
A Legal Guide for Lesbian and Gay Couples by Attorneys Denis Clifford, Emily Doskow, and Frederick Hertz, 16th Edition. This book is an in-depth, accessible guide to protecting yourself as a same-sex couple. It includes information on medical emergencies, financial matters, parenting, wills, buying a home, and sample contracts for your relationship.
Beyond (Straight and Gay) Marriage,
by Nancy Polikoff. “Marriage as a family form is not more important or valuable than other forms of family,” writes gay rights activist and American University law professor Nancy Polikoff, “so the law should not give it more value.” We agree! This book exposes flaws in our legal system and offers policy solutions that are more universal than same-sex marriage.
Cutting Loose: Why Women Who End Their Marriages Do So Well by Ashton Applewhite. Contrary to the image of the financially-strapped, emotionally-exhausted divorcee, this book tells the stories of women who thrived after leaving unhappy relationships and offers encouragement and advice on surviving divorce.
Going Solo: The Extraordinary Rise and Surprising Appeal of Living Alone by Eric Klinenberg. “A revelatory examination of the most significant demographic shift since the Baby Boom—the sharp increase in the number of people who live alone—that offers surprising insights on the benefits of this epochal change.” -Publisher comment
I Do, I Don’t: Queers on Marriage edited by Greg Wharton and Ian Philips. A diverse array of LGBT voices on the subject of marriage. Some see a fight for equality; some see it as the wrong fight. Personal essays, fiction, poetry, nonfiction, vows, rants, love letters, and sermons. Silly to serious. Pro and con. All valid. Featuring an essay by UE founders Marshall Miller and Dorian Solot.
Living Together: A Legal Guide for Unmarried Couples by Attorneys Ralph Warner, Toni Ihara, and Frederick Hertz, 14th edition. This user-friendly book is the best legal guide we’ve seen for unmarried partners. It contains chapters on renting and buying a home, parenting issues, wills and estate planning, sample living together agreements for a variety of situations, and countless other legal issues. The book comes with a CD-ROM (compatible with PCs and Macs) containing forms you can use and modify for your situation.
Loving in Abundance: A Counselor’s Advice on Open Relationships by Kathy Labriola (UE member!). A great introductory guide for couples, individuals, and families that are either already involved in a polyamorous relationship or who are considering this type of relationship.
Making It Legal: A Guide to Same-Sex Marriage, Domestic Partnerships & Civil Unions by Fred Hertz. A helpful guide to the past, present, and future of same-sex relationship laws in the U.S.
Marriage, a History: How Love Conquered Marriage by Stephanie Coontz. “In this surprising landmark book, family historian Stephanie Coontz explodes every cherished assumption about marriage, starting with the notion of the traditional marriage. Forget Ozzie and Harriet. Coontz reveals that through most of history, marriage was not a relationship based on mutual love between a breadwinner husband and an at-home wife but an institution devoted to acquiring in-laws and improving the family
labor force.” -Publisher’s comment
Marriage Proposals: Questioning a Legal Status edited by Anita Bernstein. An anthology about whether to end the legal category of marriage. Law reform is a tool used by activists on both sides of the same-sex marriage fight, along with marriage movement partisans and advocates for unmarried rights. This unique, serious volume confronts hard and deep questions facing society. Featuring an essay by UE founders Marshall Miller and Dorian Solot.
Singled Out: How Singles Are Stereotyped, Stigmatized, and Ignored, and Still Live Happily Ever After by Bella DePaulo, Ph.D. “Drawing from decades of scientific research and stacks of stories from the front lines of singlehood, Bella DePaulo debunks the myths of singledom—and shows that just about everything you’ve heard about the benefits of getting married and the perils of staying single are grossly exaggerated or just plain wrong. Although singles are singled out for unfair treatment by the workplace, the marketplace, and the federal tax structure, they are not simply victims of this singlism–single people really are living happily ever after.”-Publisher comment
The Way We Really Are: Coming To Terms With America’s Changing Families by Stephanie Coontz. This book by historian Stephanie Coontz offers clarifying insights into how families have and have not changed — based on actual information, instead of alarmist “family values” hand-wringing. It is not anti-marriage books, but it does offer a more realistic look at contemporary families.
Unmarried to Each Other: The Essential Guide to Living Together as an Unmarried Couple by Dorian Solot and Marshall Miller. Written by the founders of Unmarried Equality, Unmarried to Each Other is packed with everything you need to know to make cohabitation a success. No matter how long you’ve been together, you’ll find a wealth of down-to-earth information for both different-sex and same-sex couples on knowing if you’re ready to move in together, advice about explaining your relationship to your mother, legal essentials, health insurance, commitment ceremonies, common law marriage, unmarried parenting, staying together, and making the decision to marry or not. At the heart of the book are stories and insights from interviews with over 100 people in unmarried relationships across the country.
