Robert and Jeanette Lauer's Sociology: Contours of Society offers comprehensive but concise coverage in an affordable paperback format that does not overwhelm students. This unique text speaks to students. Its student-oriented, conversational writing style and inviting design connects with students on their own level--and asks them to apply what they learn to their own lives. Many examples, vignettes, and inserts include student-written material, which draws students into the text. There is little use of sociological jargon. All concepts are highlighted and defined as they...

Lauer and Lauer's provocative anthology, Troubled Times: Readings in Social Problems, introduces students to a wide-ranging spectrum of social problems in the United States. The editors have selected articles that are informative, stimulating, and particularly relevant to student's lives.

Students are encouraged to think critically about social problems through introductions for each unit and each article. Each section's thought-provoking introduction provides a general overview and grounds each selection in a larger context, which helps readers understand the relevance of the...

The seventh edition of Lauer and Lauer's best-selling anthology Sociology: Windows On Society has been significantly updated with fifteen new selections. The book continues to draw on both contemporary sources and the classical literature of sociology to explore the nature of social life, with an emphasis on issues of gender, race/ethnicity, and inequality.
The editors have chosen articles that challenge preconceived notions and conventional wisdom while also demonstrating the distinctive power of the sociological viewpoint. The units are divided into parts to show how the...

Drawing on their own experiences and that of the stepfamilies with which they have worked, Robert and Jeanette Lauer give practical advice on how to deal with the top ten challenges in stepfamily life: loss, adjustment, personal identity, family identity, loyalty, conflicts, former spouses, resources, stepparenting, and marital intimacy.

Just as books such as Diane Ackerman's Deep Play have explored the need for individuals to engage in play, this unique relationship book explains why play is vitally important for strengthening bonds in a love relationship - and why play is crucial even for the physical and emotional health of both partners. The Play Solution shows couples how adding the power of play to their lives can reignite their passion for the relationship and each other. It outlines the types of play that promote a strong relationship while warning of those that are destructive. The authors lecture frequently on...