Book(s) of the Week!

Get the Girl and Get the Guy by Douglas Wilson

Books on dating and marriage are numerous. As the old saying goes, you can find them for a dime a dozen. Given the ubiquitous nature of relationship books, one might assume that there would be a variety of perspectives among them, but one would be wrong. All of them drink deeply from the well of egalitarianism and parrot some version of women need love and men need respect. Men indeed need respect, and women need love, but it is also true that the differences extend much further than that. Men and women are not two sides of the same coin; we are different by design, and the differences go much deeper than mere plumbing. 

With this week's book of the week, I recommend two excellent books by the same author: Get The Girl and Get The Guy by Douglas Wilson. Wilson's unique perspective, akin to a wise uncle giving advice to his nephew and niece, sets these books apart. Each chapter is presented as a letter, providing practical relationship advice for young men and women. The books are not just about understanding the differences between men and women; they are about embracing and navigating these differences in a world that actually exists, not the make-believe world that most relationship books are built around. 

Another way these books distinguish themselves is by embracing the biblical view that singleness is not a gift and is only meant for those who are called to celibacy, which is a minority comprising less than a fraction of the population. For most people, singleness is seen as a burden to be borne with grace and not as a blessing to be celebrated. The author's stance is that marriage is a valuable pursuit. 

These books are imminently practical and worth reading for those who are single and want biblical advice for pursuing marriage today. Enjoy!