This book, while I realise its a text book, has given me great insight into the latter portion of western culture. This book provides more verifiable references then any other book of this type I've read. Quality color pictures and easily followed footnotes, provides a respectable index and is very easily understood and appreciated.

Has anyone realized--after reading this book, that the heroine never actually gets married? Since when is she the blushing bride? Another let down was the fact that some of the morals of that time period were compromised. But other than that, the book was very informative. I learned alot about mail order brides and such. So, I gave it 4 stars.

Judith Stacy is my favorite Harlequin Historicals author for a reason: each one of her novels are compelling and touching. The Blushing Bride is the best yet. The heroine runs a mail-order bride service, which I thought was extremely original and fun to read. Not only is the romance between the hero and heroine great, but I enjoyed seeing how the heroine changed the entire town. Great subplot too, non intrusive and heart-warming. I really liked this book!

Katha Pollitt, the Nation writer, likes this book. Katha Pollitt, the Nation writer, also thinks the fact that babies are exceedingly interested in their mothers' breasts (for the milk contained therein, 'naturally'!) is not natural, but rather a mere (one hesitates to repeat the mantra) social construction (see her list of other book reviews). (and btw, how about those stupid right-wing babies, believing their motivations toward the breast are somehow hard-wired into them, rather than being the evil production of the misogynist culture in which we live!) These two facts should tell you some very important things about this book.

in clear, pithy language,the sociologist Judith Stacey explains why current Dan-Quayle-style "family values" moralizing is out of step with the more fluid family arrangements of our era. She shows the damage "pro-family" ideologues have done by devaluing single mothers, live-togethers, gay and lesbian parents -- denied custody, punitive welfare "reform," etc -- an eye-opener!