The Big 5: Books on Marriage

This one's pretty simple.

What are your Big 5 books on marriage?

Go!

SIDE NOTES: 1. If you haven't yet, go back and comment on older Big 5 books posts. 2. If you are interested in the books on my Big 5 lists, go to the Reformissionary bookstore and add it to your Amazon purchase.  It helps the Reformissionary to pay the bills.  Most appreciated.

Comments

[Aaron]

1-Saving your Marriage before It starts

This is the only marriage book I've read, so it's all I got...

But it's a great book

[Blake White]

1 - Reforming Marriage by Douglas Wilson
2 - Love that Lasts by Ricucci's
3 - Mystery of Marriage by Mike Mason
4 - God, Marriage, & Family by Kostenberger
5 - Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas

[sam melden]

1 - to become one. [chris seay]

(i have kept up on all of these lists but never put up my top 5. mainly because it would only be like a top 1 or 2. but, being recently married this book was amazing... so it ranks as one :)

[Zach Nielsen]

1. Love that Lasts
2. When Sinners Say I Do
3. The Mystery of Marriage
4. Each for Each Other
5. Intimate Allies

[Keith Plummer]

1. Reforming Marriage by Douglas Wilson
2. Spiritual Relationships that Last (formerly The Myth of Romance) by Gary DeLashmutt and Dennis McCallum
3. Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
4. When Sinners Say I Do by Dave Harvey
5. Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage in the Bible by Jay Adams

[kim davidson]

1. When Sinners Say I Do - Harvey
2. Sacred Influence - Thomas
3. Helper by Design - Fitzpatrick
4. Sacred Marriage - Thomas
5. Marriage in Desiring God book - Piper

[Brian Brown]

1)Reforming Marriage by Doug Wilson
2)When Sinners Say I Do by Harvey
3)A Great Mystery by Peter Leithart
4)For a Glory and a Covering by Douglas Wilson
5)Federal Husband by Doug Wilson

so most anything from the Wilsons.

[Rob]

I almost said, "What? No one found a way to slip a Piper or Keller book in there?" Then I saw the 5th comment. So yes... this still must be the Reformissionary blog.

[Jim U.]

Sacred Marriage - Thomas
Each for the Other - Chapel

[Kent S]

Ephesians
Proverbs

[M. Steve Heartsill]

1) The Bible is a pretty good book to read about marriage.

2) Fit to Be Tied by Bill Hybels

3) Love for a Lifetime--Dobson

4) Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

5) Five Languages of Love--Chapman

[Chris Meirose]

When Sinners Say I Do - Dave Harvey
Five Languages of Love - Gary Chapman
Fit to Be Tied - Bill and Lynne Hybels
The book of Romance - Tommy Nelson
The Act of Marriage - Tim and Beverly LaHaye

[Ken in Virginia Beach]

1. Each for the Other (Bryan Chappell) - I think my favorite Chappell book
2. Two Becoming One (Don and Sally Meredith)
3. Desiring God (Piper) - good chapter on marriage, but also the book my wife and I read together when we were engaged
4. The Marriage Builder (Larry Crabb) - Piper in application mode
5. Reason for God (Keller) - just kidding ;-)

[Chuck Land]

1. Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs (incredible)
2. Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas
3. Intimate Allies by Dan Allender

Sorry I don't have five. Need to read more.

[Joel]

-Each for the Other (definitely one to reread every year)
-When Sinners Say I Do (from what I've skimmed so far, it's great)
-Ephesians/1 John/Proverbs/Song of Songs
-Disciplines of a Godly Man/Woman
-My Dad's pre-marital counseling curriculum :-)

[Steve McCoy]

Just to make it clear, again, we know the Bible is best on every topic. These posts are about other books that are helpful too, that will probably reference Scripture often. Thanks.

I haven't gotten to Sacred Marriage yet, though it's on my 'to read' list and sitting right in front of me. My list...

These are the two I look back to again and again...
Reforming Marriage by Doug Wilson
Sex, Romance, and the Glory of God by CJ Mahaney

Here are three others that I liked...
The Marriage Builder by Larry Crabb
The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman - Think of this often, use the ideas in counseling
For each spouse: The Exemplary Husband (Scott) & The Excellent Wife (Peace)

[Daniel Patz]

1. Reforming Marriage - Wilson, Douglas

I haven't found a better one than Wilson's. The inescapable headship chapter is worth the price of the book (although I like the whole book).

[Dean]

I'll just throw one in there for you because it doesn't look like anyone else has mentioned it, but it's a book that'll kick your butt. It calls men to an understanding of being a servant-leader in their marriage - and it doesn't pull punches.

"Understanding the Mind of a Woman" by Ken Nair

[Josh Montague]

1. When Sinners Say "I Do" - Harvey
2. Love That Lasts - Ricucci
3. Sacred Marriage - Thomas
4. Sacred Sex - Gardner
4. Sex, Romance, and The Glory of God - Mahaney

[cavman]

1. When Sinners Say "I Do" by Harvey
2. Intimate Allies by Allender & Longman
3. Sacred Marriage by Thomas
4. Marriage Builder by Crabb
5. Marriage: Before and After, the Fall and the Cross. My unpublished book.... (sniff, sniff)
Since you're looking for available books, Wilson's Reforming Marriage is great too.

[Mick Porter]

"Marriage: Before and After, the Fall and the Cross. My unpublished book.... (sniff, sniff)" - publish it, Caveman! Seriously, there's a real need there. I probed these issues in something I wrote on Christ-centered hermeneutics: http://www.chayahgospel.com/pdf/Gospel%20and%20Mission%20Unit%204.pdf

My top five are Chappel, Harvey, Riccuci, Mahaney, Thomas.

The Five Love Languages has some useful stuff, but also some major dangers IMHO.

[thankful]

Definitely "Sacred Marriage-What if God designed Marriage to make us Holy more than Happy?" by Gary Thomas.

Has been immeasurably helpful in my marriage that has dealt with unfaithfulness.

Can't say enough about it~

[Steve Rose]

The 7 Love Agreements, Douglas Weiss
Your Time Starved Marriage, Les & Leslie Parrot

[David Cooke]

My recommendation over those already mentioned would be:

1. The Marriage Book-How to build a lasting relationship by Nicky and Sila Lee

This book and the accompanying Marriage Course has had a huge impact on marriages in the UK. Might be a bit English but loads of excellent stuff in it.

http://themarriagecourse.org/marriage/welcome/whatisit/

[er]

1. Sacred Marriage (Thomas)
2. Love and Respect (Eggerichs)
3. Mystery of Marriage (Mason)
4. The First 90 Days of Marriage (Ludy)
5. Faith Tango (Williford)

[Marty Jones]

Love That Lasts
When Sinners Say I Do
The Intimate Marriage
Intended For Pleasure
Sex,Romance and the Glory of God

[Todd Pruitt]

When Sinners Say 'I do' (Harvey)

Sacred Marriage (Thomas)

A Lasting Promise

Each for the Other (Chappel)

Love and Respect (Eggerichs)

[Matthew Westerholm]

Maybe everyone has seen this, but there's a great comparison of marriage books at 9Marks.

[Mark in Texas]

As For Me And My House
=Walter Wangerin

Best thing I've read yet and I've read them all...