[.ca] The Love List: Eight Little Things That Make A Big ... (ISBN 0310248507)

Sound practical advice:
My wife and I have a good marriage, but for some time I've felt like our relationship has not had the "sparkle" that it ought. I've never been able to put my finger on how I/we have let things go flat and how I could work on rejuvinating things. I ran across this book by accident and was instantly hooked. Unlike many relationship books, the author talks sense rather than nonsense. The idea is truely simple - a list of eight behaviours to practice. Some per day, some per week, per month, per year. There is nothing fancy here, nothing that costs money. Nothing that requires elaborate preparation. The main idea is that husband and wife need to be intenttional about nurturing the marriage and they probably need to talk about important stuff a lot more than they are probably doing now. For example, item no. 1 on the list is touch each other each day. The ideas here speak to me. I can see my wife and I putting this into practice over the long run. I believe that these 8 simple ideas will work change in our relationship. Skinny book, and a fast read. Take your time, read it two or three times, give it to your spouse to read and then talk, talk, talk about the ideas. Although published by a Christian publisher, and written from a Christian perspective, don't let that scare you off if you are of a different/no religious persuasion. The religious themes are minor and almost incidental. No preaching here. I'd say this is for folks like us - good marriages that could be better. This is probably not the recipe for repairing a damaged relationship.

Great ideas for a better marriage:
I really enjoyed this book by Drs. Les and Leslie Parrott. The format is simple - the Love List is a list of 2 things to do once a day, once a week, once a month and once a year. Examples are: Once a day find something that makes you both laugh. Once a week boost your partner's self-esteem. Along with the items on the list, the Parrotts include personal anecdotes and encouragement about how to re-vitalize a tired marriage or improve an already good one. The Parrotts also do marriage conferences called "Becoming Soulmates" (look for the book by the same name). Pillow Talk for Couples: Drawing Closer Before the Lights Go Out" is the title of their newest book, a devotional that looks like a must-buy! The Love List would be a great book for any married couple, newlyweds or golden-agers. The authors are Christians and the book is written from that perspective, but I believe all married couples would benefit greatly! Thank you, Les and Leslie!