September Songs: The Good News about Marriage in the Later Years Hardback - 2008

by Maggie Scarf

An unexpected and surprisingly positive exploration of the benefits awaiting marriedbaby boomers in their 'bonus' years from theNew York Times–bestselling author of IntimatePartners.In September Songs, journalist and authorMaggie Scarf finds that marriage has undergonesome fascinating changes since she wrote herbestselling Intimate Partners. Over the course ofthe twentieth century, thirty years of life have beenadded to normal human life expectancy what theauthor calls 'the bonus years.' This means thatcouples will often live together for years after theirchildren have left home, and perhaps well past retirement.This extra time is bringing change to ourlong-term relationships, especially marriage.In a series of intimate interviews, Scarf delves intothe lives of couples married for more than twodecades and discerns encouraging new insightsabout marriage. Seen through the eyes of thesebaby boomers as they move into this new phaseof life, we hear in the couples' own words howthey survived the bumps together and learned tobalance their needs with those of their partners.Scarf reveals that, in many ways, men and womenin long-term marriages are far happier and morefulfilled in their relationships today than when theywere younger.A compelling and human portrait of the long-termemotional, psychological, and physical benefitsof a lasting commitment to another, SeptemberSongs uncovers the challenges and new opportunitiescouples find to love, cherish, and livealongside each other in the extra years they havetogether.