To many couples, marriage means little more than just living together. But others succeed in establishing a true union, a profound emotional fusion that involves not only sharing a home, but sharing an entire life as well. In , Joseph and Lois Bird analyze the problem areas common to most marriages and offer sound guidelines toward solving them and attaining that true union and meaningful relationship. The authors—who have years of experience in marriage counseling—offer no marital nostrums; instead, they encourage each partner to examine his own fears, demands, values, and defenses in order to decide where he wants his marriage relationship to go—and how to reach that goal. The Birds explore many aspects of married life maturely and positively, and at the same time suggest rational ways of confronting them. Whether they're discussing communications problems, finances, sex, in-laws, children, they do so on a realistic level with the aim of helping married couples become motivated to improve their marital relationship. As Dr. Bird points out, "This is not a marriage 'cook book,' providing pat answers which would hopefully apply to all (but which never do). It raises questions by which the spouses can find their own answers."