Joined at the Heart: The Transformation of the American Family

Al and Tipper Gore have long considered family their bedrock. Now, in this provocative and personal book, they explore the myriad ways in which the idea of family is being redefined in America.

Over the past two generations, cultural shifts and economic pressures have profoundly affected every family in the nation: balancing work and family now poses more of a challenge than ever, day care and after-school child-care programs are often dangerously inadequate, and technological advancements have dramatically changed the ways we communicate. But change has also opened up exciting possibilities, yielding an explosion of new family forms and novel solutions to age-old problems.

In this penetrating and moving exploration of the contemporary family landscape, the Gores share stories drawn from their own experiences and those of a dozen other families they have come to know over the years. Combining personal insight and expert opinions, historical and global perspectives, Joined at the Heart identifies an emerging reality-and demonstrates that the human need for family is stronger than ever.