Why do we have problems in society such as date-rape, sexual promiscuity, teen pregnancy, and eating disorders? Wendy Shalit, in her no nonsense style, gives her opinion on this matter. She believes that it is a loss of modesty in modern society.

Instead of modesty for young women being perceived as a double standard, it should instead be seen as the way to elicit male virtue and honour. In this modern age, men and women do not relate to each other well due to society trying to make them the same. Medicines like Prozac for women (to make them less emotional) and Ritalin for men (to make them less rambunctious) try to even the temperament of the sexes. However, a return to modesty would have the sexes acting out their natural roles (women as nurturers and men as protectors) and there would be no need for medication and confusion.

Modesty not only involves manners, but also outward appearance. When more covering clothes are worn, they leave much to the imagination. However, on nude beaches, people do not really care to look at others because they see them with all their wrinkles, sags, etc.

This book, which started out as a college paper, is very interesting and refreshing. However, Shalit tends to be redundant in trying to make her point. When she refers to pictures or artwork in making her points, there are illustrations of these for the reader to look over and ponder on his/her own. Ms. Shalit writes about the problems in today's society as they are, not exaggerating or denying them, and gives her solution to them. She neither agrees with the conservative view that "boys will be boys" and that feminists overestimate problems for their own agenda. However, she does not agree with the feminists, who see these things as "paternalistic" problems. The author has the courage to stand on her own and voice her views.

If you've recently made the leap from apartment dweller to clueless homeowner, buy Reader's Digest's Householder's Survival Manual and don't let it out of your sight. Take it to the cavernous home and garden store where you will now be spending the bulk of your weekends. See, along with the joy that comes with home ownership also comes new responsibility. You can't call the super. You're the landlord. What are you going do about the leaky pipe in the basement? The cracked tile in the bathroom? The jungle out back that really needs to be mowed because you can't remember the last time you saw Fifi?

There's nary a household problem, issue, or chore that this manual doesn't address. The subtitle, How to Take Care of Everything in Your Home, says it all. But there's actually much more here: information on how to choose wisely the things that go into your home, such as carpeting, windows, and paint; "Trouble Shooter" tips like how to diagnose toilet problems; plentiful advice on choosing good tools; "Time Savers" (hint: cut down on time spent watering your garden plants by poking holes in a plastic milk carton and burying it next to the plant; the water will drip out slowly); and much more, all of it clearly illustrated and explained. This book even tells you how to best wash your clothes. What else could you possibly need to gracefully fill your new role as homeowner extraordinaire? © Amazon.com

From the back cover

Expert Information about every household concern, all in one book! You're looking at the all-in-one, hard-working volume that will save you time, work, and money-and keep your home running more easily and efficiently than ever before! Householder's Survival Manual gives you in-depth information on every task you face to keep your home running smoothly. For example: * Learn how to save up to 10,000 gallons of water a year. * Find out why spring is not the best time to do "spring" cleaning and when it's best to tackle the job. * Discover why bigger is not better when it comes to air conditioners, and how to make a savvier buy. Householder's Survival Manual shows you new, easier ways to do it better-no matter how long you've been keeping house! * More than 700 colour photos and illustrations. * Dozens of charts and checklists that make information you need easy to find. No more guesswork, no more frustration! Plus! Special feature boxes with ideas for: Quick Fixes, Money-Savers, Work-Savers, Good Tools, Safety Smart practices, a Buying, Selling and Moving Guide, plus much more. So cut your fuel bills, organise your records, pest-proof your house, or answer any other question that concerns the care of your home, with Householder's Survival Manual.