Based on findings of a major study of kinship, and including lively verbatim accounts of conversations with family members, provides a new insight into contemporary family life and kin relationships outside the nuclear family. `That this book breaches boundaries between sociology, social policy and social anthropolgy, is to the credit of Janet Finch and Jennifer Mason's thorough analysis and the sensitive and detailed manner in which they present the views of people interviewed...This book makes an important contribution to our knowledge of how kinship in Britain works .... as well as providing a convincing and clear account with judicious examples, it has also provided firm ground from which to embark on a different set of questions.' - Public Health Research and Resource Centre