Traditionally, children have lived in their parents homes until they were married and ready to start their own families. Leaving Home before Marriage explores a step that young American adults are increasingly takingsetting up a household alone or with housemates. Frances K. Goldscheider and Calvin Goldscheider analyze this profound change as it figures in the plans of young people and their parents and in the decisions they eventually make about their living arrangements. The Goldscheiders find that gender attitudes, ethnic and religious values, and generational relationships shape the path young people take to residential independence. A well-organized and meaningful interpretation of data. It is a significant contribution to understanding the changes in premarital residential patterns of young adults.Choice The study offers useful insights which can help parents and their children cope more effectively with separation. It also offers useful insights into contemporary family dynamics and will be of interest to all sociologists studying the family today.The Journal of Sociology and Social Welfare Provides the most comprehensive examination of the causes of variations in non family living to date, and as such it is important reading for a broad range of social scientists.