Together Again

February 1, 2007
Niederhaus, who recently completed her master's thesis at Stanford University on multigenerational living arrangements, and brother Graham (marketing & international business, Graduate Sch. of Management, Univ. of California, Irvine; "Doing Business with the Japanese") combine their personal and professional knowledge about multigenerational living to formulate this eminently practical guide to designing housing arrangements compatible with the needs of varying generations. Not only do such social structures help with child- and elder-care needs but they can make a great deal of economic sense. The authors convincingly argue for the trend by interviewing more than 100 families, who offer compelling rationales for their decisions to consolidate living arrangements. Best of all, the authors supply blueprints for suitable housing structures. In an invaluable chapter titled "Designing and Remodeling Your Home for Privacy," they detail ways to convert garages and basements into optimal living spaces for older relatives. They also address relevant legal and financial issues. While other books, such as Patrick H. Hare and Jolene N. Ostler's "Creating an Accessory Apartment", touch on similar territory, this work is the definitive resource for readers considering multigenerational living arrangements. Recommended for large public libraries.Lynne Maxwell, Villanova Univ. Sch. of Law Lib., PA

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