Jim Bob Duggar

When I first heard of the Duggar family, my initial reaction was 'How the heck can someone have so many kids???' I watched them on some of their Discovery Channel episodes. When I heard the book had come out, I was curious as to see what they had to say about themselves.

Yes, there are some things I disagree with them on. There's nothing wrong with birth control, I hope that their daughters at least make that decision for themselves, that they realize that they don't have to have so many show more children so they can have careers and such, and that the Bible isn't the right life tool for everyone.

The Bible has clearly guided the Duggars well. Their children are polite and well behaved, the older siblings have jobs and what not, the girls are taught to drive as well as the boys and aren't treated like the women in a Mormon polygamist community and what not. Jim Bob and Michelle don't beat their kids or mistreat them in any way - more mothers should be like Michelle!

My concern is that Jim Bob and Michelle shelter their children too much. Everyone plays two or three instruments (I doubt that each and every single Duggar child actually has the passion for music) and it doesn't seem that their homeschooling education offers much in the way of a well-varied curriculum, according to what Michelle teaches her kids. I heard that the oldest son was refused from a college because his homeschooling curriculum wasn't enough. Do these children ever learn about other religions and cultures, or read great classic novels or Greek, Roman, Latin, or medieval works? Have any of the lids expressed curiosity in it, and what was their parent's response? I guess I'm asking this because I had a history minor in college and love to read, but not all of the kids are the same and some of the kids are bound to have literary interests rather than say, musical like some of their siblings. I hope these kids realize there's a richly varied world out there, and I hope that their parents don't make it seem like a bad place (aside the obvious things like war and such)

The love that Jim Bob and Michelle have for their family is very real, as well as the fact that they are taking their time to write a book to share their happiness and knowledge with us. Jim Bob and Michelle are still clearly passionately in love with one another, and I don't question their loyalty to one another.

Their economy is to be commended. Many parents today complain about how hard and expensive it is to raise just a few children, while Jim Bob and Michelle do just fine with their large brood. Granted, I feel that much of the responsibility has been delegated to the older girls as well as cooking and cleaning - Michelle even looked surprised on the TV show when she was asked questions about that matter.

But their budgeting advice is to be taken seriously, whether the economy is high or low. Too many people have become wasteful and disrespectful, and the Duggar's firm and loving hand in raising their children is to be commended in a society where so many parents choose to not take responsibility for the education and rearing of their child.

I took away a star because there needed to be more financial information in this book. I mean, living debt-free is a great idea, but not everyone can just buy some property and sell it for profit (r become landlords). For people who live in say, the big city, where all the land is already taken, what options does one have? Or college? I currently am debt-free, but I used to owe money for college. You know what they say - you gotta spend money to make money. There really should have been more money-saving info in this book. Bills, college funds, emergencies, other things like that. I didn't expect them to like, tell us exactly how much they spend on what or how much taxes they paid or profit made, that's personal. But I really had been expecting more in the financial tips department. show less

As far as practical advice goes - time management, money management, etc, Michelle Duggar has some very good advice, just as she does in her first book and there ARE a few things one can learn from her.

However, (not that I didn't expect this) she gets really preachy about her religion and how great God is despite her struggles (the pregnancy complications she has suffered in the last couple of pregnancies) and all that. Again, I expected some preachiness from Michelle, but her attitude about show more her religion really dragged the book down, and knowing what she has been involved in (campaigning against LGBTQ, etc) makes her come across as hypocritical.

2.5/5 stars show less

It seems that a lot of people share my fascination with the Duggar family, and with good reason -- they've done some thing phenomenal: they've turned the seemingly daunting task of parenting so many children into the image of an idyllic family lifestyle. And they've entered the public sphere, and their own dose of celebrity, without any of the drama that accompanies Jon & Kate, among others. What's their secret? There may be no simple answer to that question, but in this book they lay out show more some of the specifics of their life choices that have led to their success and happiness.

Written from a first-person perspective (Jim Bob and Michelle take turns narrating, with intermittent interjections from their kids in response to e-mailed questions they've received), this book gives a basic overview of the family history, starting with Jim Bob and Michelle's childhoods and ending at the point at which they were writing their book and expecting their eighteenth child. Along the way, they discuss their various successes and failures, and the little tidbits they've learned that have helped to "save their sanity," as they say.

Many of these tidbits are excellent advice for any family, even those with only one or two children. Some of their advice is more specific to the needs of large families. (For example, family laundry is not such a daunting task in a family of three or four.) But their advice is always delivered with a sprinkling of humility -- they never claim to be parenting experts, but instead offer suggestions based on what they have learned, from experience, to be solid parenting and family-management practices. Also, they offer a lengthy list of outside resources for further consultation, should readers need more information or wish to pursue some of the techniques and suggestions on their own.

While Fundamentalist Christianity is a tremendous part of this family's lifestyle, I did not find their inclusion of their faith to be overbearing in this book. While I don't share their religious beliefs, they presented their views and their spirituality in such a way that I could appreciate its value to them, without feeling that I was being preached at. As a matter of fact, it was a far more subtle approach to religion than I would have expected from a book from this publisher. Only in the last few sentences of the book do the Duggars ever turn their religion outward toward the reader: "We hope our story inspired you to seek out His [God's] guidance in everything you do." (p. 228)

I found this book both fascinating and useful. The Duggars have quite a remarkable story, and I'm anxious to check out some of the resources they've listed to see how I can put them to use in raising my own three kids. As a parenting manual, this is one of the best and most helpful I've ever read. As a parenting story, this is one of the most inspirational and calming. Highly recommended for any parent. show less

I know only of the Duggar's from an article printed some time ago in a magazine just before their 19th child, Josie was born prematurely. Like many others I was amazed at the size of their family and curious as to how they 'make it work'. Their TV show isn't on in Australia (as far as I know) so this book is really my introduction to the family.
A Love That Multiplies begins with the premature birth of Josie and its affect on the family, but also explains the principles and faith that show more Michelle and JimBob rely on to raise their children. As conservative Christians, the family have strict faith based guidelines for behaviour and attitude. I was expecting an austere fundamentalist approach in child rearing, but that is not the case at all. The Duggar's enjoy a wide range of experiences and are encouraged to become part of the community. Michelle and JimBob both write about the hardships and joys involved in raising their family and share their perspectives of events. I found this alternating viewpoint difficult at times, the transition often seemed clumsy, indicated only by a bracketed name after the switch has already taken place. I couldn't always tell who was narrating.
Still, its fascinating to be privy to the details of raising such a large family. The sheer work involved in homeschooling, cooking and caring for a family of 21 is mind boggling, yet the parents cope with admirable patience. That they support themselves, while still giving to others is honorable. The family is not perfect, Michelle speaks briefly of the irritations she experiences and the strain of Josie's illness on her marriage. It's sort of glossed over but I appreciate the acknowledgement that they are not immune from worldly frustrations.
While I don't share their intense faith, I was able to look past the passionate preaching and admire their underlying principles of child rearing - consistency, respect, love, encouragement, support and joy. These basic tenets are ones I am raising my own four children with but these messages are at risk at being buried under the avalanche of scripture quotes and religious praise. The Duggars are open about their desire to spread their faith and God's word, but as an agnostic I skimmed the evangelicalism. I think it would appeal to less enthusiastic believers more if the Duggars shared more concrete descriptions of their interactions with their children as the subtitle implies.
A Love That Multiplies is an interesting peek into the Duggars life, I admire their commitment to each other and genuine wish to raise a loving and caring family. I've struggled with choosing a rating for the book though. As mentioned I feel the structure is clumsy, which did not make for an easy reading experience in the electronic ARC version I had access to. On reflection, I also feel that the book is light on practical content and provides only a glimpse of the workings of this huge family, but perhaps this is more fully detailed in their previous book and television show. I am going to go with 2 and a half stars. show less