Abstract
The first book "The Way We Really Are: Coming to Terms with America's Changing Families" by Stephanie Coontz presents an effective summary of the history of the family and of the state of the modern family compared to the 'traditional family' - working father, housewife mother as the norm. It discusses the breakdown of family values caused by women needing to work because of economical changes in society. The second book "All Our Kin: Strategies for Survival in a Black Community" by Carol Stack describes in detail the family units and social support systems within the community of the African-American ghetto and compares the importance of family in the ghetto with that in other communities.

From the Paper
"Coontz looks at the family from a historical perspective and argues against the common notion that the modern family is in trouble. Instead, Coontz argues that it is the media that has made us expect things of families that may never have been achievable. By looking at the history of the modern family and relating this to modern life, Coontz shows that it is not the family that is in trouble, but that society has not been able to accept and support what the family really means. Coontz argues that society must accept the reality of the modern family, rather than place unachievable expectations on it."

Tags: ghetto, children, community, housewife, coprovider