The Marriage-Go-Round

What it is about

The Marriage-Go-Round is Andrew Cherlin’s account of the American pattern of high marriage and high partnership turnover. He asks what this churn—marrying, divorcing, repartnering—does to adults and especially to children who move through changing households. The book compares the United States with other wealthy countries to show that valuing marriage intensely and exiting quickly can coexist. It is demographic and sociological analysis, not a verdict on one family’s choice and not a legal guide to divorce.

Questions it can answer

• What American pattern of high marriage and high turnover does Cherlin describe?
• What does partnership churn do to adults and children across changing households?
• How does comparing the U.S. with other countries clarify this marriage-go-round?

What you will not find

• Personal advice telling one couple to marry or divorce
• Court forms or custody strategy
• A claim that every child of divorce is equally harmed