Official Review: He Said She Said I Said

[L_Therese]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "He Said She Said I Said" by Barbara J Peters.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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Relationships are not easy. It isn’t like the movies, in which the couple shares a kiss just before the credits roll. In real life, the wedding is usually the beginning of the adventure - not the end. Barbara Peters is a professional counselor who uses her expertise to help couples navigate the sometimes tempestuous waters of their relationships, Through her non-fiction book He Said, She Said, I Said, Ms. Peters shares her wisdom about relationships and conflict resolution with the rest of us.

The book is set up in such a way that the author first reveals a statement from a “client” that illustrates a conflict or a problem. This is the “he said” or “she said” part. Then, the author writes a response to that statement, offering the “I said” portion. The responses constitute the bulk of the book and offer insights, explanations, and advice relevant to the concerns expressed in the initial statements. Statements and responses are grouped according to a general topic area such as intimacy, communication, or friendship.

The focus of the book is healing marital relationships that have found themselves jeopardized by a variety of issues. It’s important to note, however, that the advice may be applicable to anyone regardless of marital status. Interpersonal relationships are common to the point of being virtually universal, and conflict is always a concern in any relationship. Even if the details vary, many of the principles introduced and explained in the book are applicable in non-marital relationships as well. Another point of concern is that Ms. Peters’ book seems to focus on heterosexual marriages. This is never stated explicitly, but there seems to be an implied presumption of one male participant and one female participant. Despite this assumption of a male/female dynamic, participants in homosexual marriages would undoubtedly find the book helpful for extracting insights and applying them to their own situations, relationship dynamics, and struggles.

Throughout the book, the author excels at keeping the presentation accessible to readers. Even though the book is non-fiction, the text is far from dry or boring. The author supports her assertions and advice with other texts and professional anecdotes. The tone is engaging, and the language has a more conversational than clinical style. This keeps the insights easily understandable and helps readers relate to the issues expressed in its pages. The organizational structure mentioned before is also a helpful tool for readers. A reader can zero in on a topic area and use the “he said”/“she said” statements to find the most helpful insights to their particular struggles.

He Said, She Said, I Said is a fairly quick read and can provide a selection of relevant advice and insight into relationship dynamics and conflict resolution. It has a specific focus for marital conflict resolution, but most people can certainly find helpful insights in its pages as well. The writing itself is well executed with no errors. For these reasons, I rate He Said, She Said, I Said by Barbara Peters 4 out of 4 stars.

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He Said She Said I Said
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Like L_Therese's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Azeline Arcenal]

This seems like an interesting read. I think I might add this book to my reading list. Great job on the review!

[kandscreeley]

With the number of failed relationships out there, we need a book like this. You're right. It's not as easy as they portray them in movies.

[El-kanah]

With the number of failed relationships out there, we need a book like this. You're right. It's not as easy as they portray them in movies.

I agree, we need books like this to heal nowadays marriage. Youths picture marriage beautifully as they had seen it in movies, but that's not it. And more so, marriage plays a great role in the nation improvement, why? They bring up youths that are believed to hold the future.

[bookiegalke]

a marriage or relationship that works isn't realized with folded arms that is why l would consider investing my time into reading this book. thanks for the review

[Jamesmacharia]

I like this book... Did I just say like, I'm kidding I absolutely love this book.

[LadyClaire]

wow! certainly, this book contains helpful insights for us all. Thanks for the review.

[jemgirl202]

Great Review! I think everyone needs to be aware that relationships are hard work. Definitely looks like an interesting read.