More Kevin Leman

I enjoy Kevin Leman's books.  I think he's funny.  The first book of his I read was Making Children Mind Without Losing Yours about 20 years ago.  From what I recall, I thought it was good.  (Perhaps I should read it again now that I am actually a parent!)

Then I read The Birth Order Book, which was simply fascinating (and scarily accurate).

A few years later Alan and I read Sheet Music.

It's been several years since I read any of his books, so when I saw his book Under the Sheets on sale for $2.99 I snatched it up and read through it in just a couple days.

Yes, yes, you will notice these last couple of books are about, a-hem, marital relations but I mostly appreciate his views.  He has fun with it and encourages communication between a husband and wife.  His books are actually quite entertaining and I am thankful for his biblical views regarding the sanctity of the marriage bed.  He is quite blunt about what he views as unhealthy (and flat out perverse) and always encourages a couple to honor the biblical mandate to "render due benevolence" and yield to one another.

While I wouldn't recommend this book to the unmarried (unless perhaps they were within a short time of marriage?), I think it's appropriate for a married couple to read together.  I found it especially interesting that he addresses all sorts of couples and seasons in one book, from the newlywed innocents to those working through their past through the parenting stage and those in retirement.

His underlying theme is fitting to all aspects of the marriage relationship:  communicate with your spouse about your respective needs and "do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.  Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of others" (Philippians 2:3-4).