Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #92 in Books
• Published on: 1995-06-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 204 pages

Amazon.com
Unhappiness in marriage often has a simple root cause: we speak different love languages, believes Dr. Gary Chapman. While working as a marriage counselor for more than 30 years, he identified five love languages: Words of Affirmation, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. In a friendly, often humorous style, he unpacks each one. Some husbands or wives may crave focused attention; another needs regular praise. Gifts are highly important to one spouse, while another sees fixing a leaky faucet, ironing a shirt, or cooking a meal as filling their "love tank." Some partners might find physical touch makes them feel valued: holding hands, giving back rubs, and sexual contact. Chapman illustrates each love language with real-life examples from his counseling practice.

How do you discover your spouse's - and your own - love language? Chapman's short questionnaires are one of several ways to find out. Throughout the book, he also includes application questions that can be answered more extensively in the beautifully detailed companion leather journal (an exclusive Amazon.com set). Each section of the journal corresponds with a chapter from the book, offering opportunities for deeper reflection on your marriage.

Although some readers may find choosing to love a spouse that they no longer even like -hoping the feelings of affection will follow later- a difficult concept to swallow, Chapman promises that the results will be worth the effort. "Love is a choice," says Chapman. "And either partner can start the process today." --Cindy Crosby. This text refers to the Amazon.com Exclusive Journal & Paperback Book Set.

From AudioFile
A seasoned marriage counselor says people feel most loved in a marriage in one of five ways: quality time, words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Though we have a primary love language, we can learn a second language so that our spouse's needs are met. It's all about giving a little here and there, and accepting that our spouse's preferred channel may be different from ours. Though the author's life work is based on Christian principles, his ideas and personal style will resonate with people of all faiths and levels of involvement in organized religion. Whether your marriage needs a tune-up or a major overhaul, these are powerful prescriptions delivered by a genial, wise man. T.W. © AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

From the Back Cover
More Than 3,000,000 Copies Sold World Wide! Are You and Your Spouse Speaking the Same Language? He sends you flowers when what you really want is time to talk. She gives you a hug when what you really need is a home-cooked meal. The problem isn’t your love it’s your love language! In this international best seller, Dr. Gary Chapman reveals how different people express love in different ways. In fact, there are give specific languages of love: Quality Time Words of Affirmation Gifts Acts of Service Physical Touch What speaks volumes to you may be meaningless to your spouse. But here, at last, is the key to understanding each other’s unique needs. Apply the right principles, learn the right language, and soon you’ll know the profound satisfaction and joy of being able to express your love-and feeling truly loved in return. GARY CHAPMAN is the author of the best-selling Five Love Languages Series and the director of Marriage and Family Life Consultants, Inc. Gary travels the world presenting seminars, and his radio program airs on more than 100 stations. For more information visit: www.garychapman.org For free interactive, small group study guide, visit www.fivelovelangues.com

Customer Reviews

CAN'T RECOMMEND ENOUGH!!!
Oh. My. Gosh!!! This book was a life-changer for us. Totally put perspective into the different needs each of us has in order to feel loved and secure. It teaches it really well and helps you see how to love your spouse better. Then, we started applying it to our relationship with our parents and in-laws, our children, friends from church...etc. It is an amazing eye-opener and gives you so much freedom and power to love people better!! Also, to feel more loved yourself.

Great book - very helpful and easy to read
My husband and I read this book on the advice of our marriage counselor. We'd been having trouble communicating and had both run out of patience not only with each other, but with our relationship. I think this book served as a great resource. It helped us to approach each other more thoughtfully and to have a better understanding of how and why we operate and react the way we do/have. Regardless of where you are in your life, be it happily married, dating, having marital problems etc., this book offers much needed guidance in managing your relationships with others - especially your partner. It is a quick read and totally worth the investment.

THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES by Gary Chapman
The Five Love Languages is marriage guru Gary Chapman's book on expressing love and commitment to a spouse. The goal here is to get readers to be able to "fill the emotional tanks" of their spouses, which does not always come naturally because people receive love in different ways.

Chapman begins with explaining his "love tank" idea (which is corny, but good), gives a diatribe against the "falling in love" condition, then outlines his five love languages: words of affirmation, quality time, receiving gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. He concludes with various remarks about love, particularly love as a choice. The book ends with little quizzes spouses can take to discover their own love languages.

The book on the whole feels oversimplified. Chapman does not point out here that the kind of love a person likes to receive is not always the kind of love that same person gives. In fact, he suggests the opposite. Chapman's dialogue with the couples he speaks with (as he reports it) is distractingly stilted and unnatural. Even though the book is less than 200 pages, it drags at times, as Chapman beats the horse on each point.

In The Five Love Languages, things are clearly oversimplified. Nevertheless there is some valuable material here. Specifically, there are two important points to take away: that people receive love in different ways, and that love is a choice and an action. From that perspective, almost anyone who is married can benefit from this book.