This engaging collection of essays attempts to do justice to the complexity of contemporary families and to situate them in their economic, political, and cultural contexts. The editors introduce this wide-ranging collection with a provocative analytical introduction, setting the stage with a recognition that families may look very different even to those inside the same family. These cutting-edge scholars explore the ways in which family life is gendered and reflect on the work of maintaining family and kin relationships, especially as social and family power structures change over time. The book includes a guide to topics (from Adoption and African American Families to Work-Family Tension and Working-Class Families) that should prove useful to teachers, students, and researchers.