Family values are central to our society, but as John Gillis points out in this book, most of our images of home-sweet-home are of a very recent vintage. He questions idealized notions of "the family" and the political construction of family rituals and argues these images must be open to change.

Our whole society may be obsessed with "family values," but as John Gillis points out in this entertaining and eye-opening book, most of our images of "home sweet home" are of very recent vintage. "A World of Their Own Making" examines our idealized notion of "The Family," a mind-set in which myth and symbol still hold sway.