This book investigates the core question of how contemporary family responsibilities and obligations are defined and negotiated beyond the traditional nuclear household. Janet Finch and Jennifer Mason, both established sociologists, utilize extensive qualitative data from a major study of kinship to challenge the assumption that family ties have diminished in modern society. They argue that assistance within families is not an automatic or static occurrence, but rather a dynamic process that is continuously negotiated between individuals over time.

Sociologists and family studies scholars frequently cite this work as a foundational text for understanding the complexities of modern kinship. Readers often note the balance between rigorous sociological theory and the accessible, humanizing inclusion of real-world interview data.