Sex Relationships Books

Communion is a discussion and legitimization of the pursuit of love from a mid-life feminist perspective. Hooks believes that the desire to understand how love works is a serious, important, and ultimately joyful life-work activity that should be studied and taught. The big question she attempts to answer is how to "find, keep, and make love despite the power of patriarchy."

The best part of this book is that Hooks always tells the truth as she sees it. There is no glossing over or contriving to make a point. Sometimes her language is sexually explicit and blunt. She explains love from the perspective of her own personal life experience and through intelligent observation and study of our culture and gender practices. The impact of the feminist movement is woven through her assessment. Unlike many other feminists, however, Hook's voice is not militant.

There is only one caution. The ever-present temptation for Hooks and for all of us is to find excuses why we cannot find love or be loving. From the ego's perspective, there is always a so-called justifiable reason for the rejection of another. In this case, the justifiable reason is patriarchy. However, unconditional love means that we undo the hate inour minds and extend love no matter what distressing disguise is presented to us.

This book, I attempted to approach with feelings of wanting answers and wanting to feel safe and secure in our often harsh, demanding, and very male world. Unfortunately, I was unable to achieve those feelings of inner peace and turmoil dominated. I was hoping for an Oprah meets Holly Near meets Dame Edma book that was refreshing, and would allow me to blossom inside. Many of the passages make some sense, but the boardroom chapter may alienate some sisters due to the fact that most of us are struggling at jobs which are mundane and tedious. It is so easy for men though, all they have to do is look around and they get what they want. I am still looking for love and am tired of nights in the bubble bath, reading silly romance stories which reflect our harsh patriarchial society. I am searching for a book with the answers the way some people claim to search for soulmates. I am tired of the tv shows with loving couples and my cat which I am alergic to that scares all the men I know away. I want a book that I can relate to...one that works on my own terms...one that speaks to me and the women like me. Tell me if you find it

I have recommended this book to all those women in my life who have sold out to the patriarchal values in American culture because I want them to find communion with a more enlightened man and not settle for anything less.

And for a reader who is not hip to feminist thought or lit, this is a good soft entry. I enjoyed bell hooks analogies and statements regarding that women do seek love in so many ways and her most important point was that many women do not receive non-sexual love from men, which is necessary for balance in life, thus forcing them to seek it in so many other ways.

This book encouraged me to read and understand other bell hooks books that are phenomenal. I respect hooks for offering a wide spectrum on emotions, and reality

bell hooks blew me away with All About Love and Salvation. Communion, however, left me wanting more. Although it was written in the typical bell hooks fashion -- I love her writing style, Communion didn't have the same passion, spirit and overall power that the previous two books had. I did like the way she weaved her own self into the topic. By doing so, she makes the reader feel closer to her and helps them relate better to their own search for love.

For those of you who are interested in philospohy in general, this book is an excellent collection of briefs from philosphers from Plato to Firestone. The most interesting aspect of this text is that it addresses the subject that most philosophy books refuse to touch upon - LOVE. Most often, philosophers are associated with their views on religion, politics, or the basic human existence. This book is such a great treat to read because of the subject matter. Love is a subject in which we can all relate. The book is approximately 3 inches thick, with excerpts from many different philosophers, but the great thing is that you can pick it up at your leisure, read a few different excerpts, ponder the subject of love, and put the book back down. It is not a book that you read cover to cover. Another interesting aspect of the book is that no matter what your views on love or romantic love are, you will find essays that will either reinforce your views of the matter, or challenge your present thinking of the subject of love. It covers topics such as misogyny, feminism, romantic love, marriage as more of a friendship than a romantic love, etc. I have been tickled, angered, saddened, pleased, and intrigued by this book. SO much so , that I have recommended it to friend after friend, and all have enjoyed it. It is not necessary that you be a student of philosophy to understand this book. You just need to misunderstand love to gain from it's teachings. I believe you will enjoy this book for years to come. I know I have.

After having read a bit on the Greek's philosophy of love, I wanted to find something addressing heterosexual love. This book has a vast representation of theories on the topic of love. It is one of those books I will pick up often. I highly recommend it if you are looking for a place to begin your philosophical query regarding love.

Solomon, the Anglo-American philosopher, who takes Continental philosophy seriously, is the editor here, not the author. This wonderfully eclectic book surveys the Western perspectives on romantic and erotic love, starting in antiquity and continuing up to the modern day. While the focus is principally philosophical, other fields of inquiry like psychology, literature, and theology are included: E.g., Plato, Augustine, Milton, Shakespeare, Nietzsche, Freud, etc. I couldn't imagine a better selection of primary texts.

Certainly, the primary intent of the book is to offer a comprehensive survey of romantic and erotic love for students enrolled in a philosophy of sex course. No better book exists for providing primary texts on this subject. (Cf., Sobel's "Philosophy of Sex.") But, in a general sense, we're all students of philosophy, and of all of philosophy's myriad disciplines, certainly love is the subject of widest appeal. In other words, this book is by no means limited to academia, although that's it's target market. We're all students of love.

Unfortunately, the best writer on the subject of romantic and erotic love is our editor. Solomon's own book titled "Love" is absolutely extraordinary (see, separate review). But that doesn't make this present volume any less valuable. In fact, I think that "Love" will be better understood, having this contextual survey under one's belt. Solomon's variety of primary texts is so diverse and highly representative that it's appeal should extend to all inquiries on romantic and erotic love.

This volume is one of the very best for its presentation of the wide varieties of writings about erotic love. The text is divided into four parts. The first includes classic writings on erotic love from authors living prior to the 20th century. Included among the authors are: Plato, Sappho, Theno, Ovid, Augustine, Heliose and Abelard, Andreas Capellanus, Shakespeare, John Milton, Spinoza, Rousseau, Hegel, Schopenhauer, Stendahl, and Nietzsche.

The second part of the book includes classic writings on love from those in the 20th century. Included here are the writings of Freud, Jung, Karen Horney, Rainer Maria Rilke, Emma Goldman, Denis de Rougemont, D. H. Lawrence, Sartre, Simon de Beauvoir, Philip Slater, and Shulamith Firestone.

The third section of the book offers contemporary essays that advance theories and notions proposed by authors of antiquity. Writers included in this part are the following: Irving Singer, Martha Nussbaum, Jerome Neu, Louis Mackey, Emelie Rorty, Elizabeth Rappaport, Kathryn Pauly Morgan.

The fourth part of the book includes essays that are more theoretical, including a number of new attempts to define and understand love. Authors in this section include Robert Nozick, Annette Baier, William Gass, Laurence Thomas, Ronald de Sousa, Robert C. Solomon.

Thomas Jay Oord

What an excellent little guide! If you want a refresher or just want the gist of this book, this one will totally do that for you. I think I prefer to read things this way. It's quicker and more to the point. I also suggest Dating Sense: The Practical Way to Meet, Date and Marry the Right Person.

straight to the point and very helpful and it makes sense !

I read this book when my son was 19 months old so maybe i wasn't feeling the adjustment i felt when he was just born. I know that a new baby can put a strain on a marriage especially due to lack of sleep ... but i couldn't relate to this book. My husband helped.. and continues to help.. so i just couldn't relate enough. This is for the far end of the spectrum with husbands that hardly do a thing. i could not finish this book because i was bored. Maybe to people who can relate to this book it would be great! but not for me...

I read this book upon the recommendation of a friend, more to see what was so funny than for the actual advice. The book lived up to it's rep as a funny page turner -- the anecdotes and quotes from both men and women gave both me and my husband quite a few chuckles. In some places, I found it to be a bit heavy-handed with its statement of the obvious, but mostly it seemed to present a fair picture of how men and women differ on certain child-rearing issues. I agree with a previous reviewer that this book can create a rather bleak picture of child-rearing, particularly for those contemplating kids. But it is the reality for quite a few couples and better for people to know that going in. This book actually made me appreciate how good I've got it most of the time. While I found myself nodding emphatically at much of what was said, other times, after laughing and then cringing, I would think gratefully of how much my husband does around the house and contributes to our joint child-rearing efforts. The tips offered this book are not for everyone, but the advice is mostly sound and it does work. My husband and I had actually come up with the same solution to ending the scorekeeping battle before reading this book, and it worked like a dream. No more battles on who has it harder, or who does more. We sat down and agreed on everything that needed to be done and who was going to do it and also added in who was going to get child-free time when. I couldn't complain that I was cooking all the meals because it's what I agreed to do. And in the same vein, my husband no longer complained that he had to give our daughter her bath every night because it's what he agreed to do. Our arguments (which were frequent) over the issue of who does what and who does what more often were completely eliminated.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for some laughs on post-children marital relations and some helpful advice. It is a bit skewed towards women, and bashes on the men a bit, so I'd advise women to read it and mark pages for your husbands to read. It goes over easier.

Very disappointed. I was looking for a book that would offer solutions instead of telling me how having children will make for a poor marriage. After reading the first two chapters, then you have read the book, the rest was just filler material. The book had an overall negative message.

I decided to give this book a read when my hubby and I found out we were having twins and though we each have an older child we brought into the marriage and have done the whole parenting thing before, we've never parented infants and very young children together and frankly I value our relationship with small children and without. This book was humerously written with lots of quotes and dialogue from men and women experiencing problems in their relationship as well as folks who are finding successful answers to relationship problems. I especially appreciated the chapter on sex which is a big issue in many relationships after baby comes along. Mom is exhausted and feels as sexy "as a loaf of bread" and dad maintains a pre-baby sex drive, what's a couple to do? Definatly keep this book around for inspiration and even a good chuckle when your to-do list is longer than the day is long.

I really recommend this book for any new parents to be. I thought this book was so informative, yet hilarious. I totally went through a lot of things that was written. I didn't think that my son would affect my marriage, but he did. My husband felt ignored and didn't have a bonding with my son. It was very hard for him. This book really helped my marriage to get on track and gave me the "Daddy's" perspective. This also gave the mother's perspective too, so it's equal. We read this book everynight before we went to bed and took turns reading it. I wish there would be a part two! haha.

As a man, I am critical of some of the self-help books written by women. Invariably, I find elements that either misrepresent men's attitudes or totally ignore them. "If Love Is A Game, These Are The Rules," is a wonderful exception. Every man interested in learning how to find and maintain a long-lasting relationship should read this book. More importantly, it should be read, reread and discussed by both partners, as often as questions or issues arise in the relationship. Cherie Carter Scott doesn't mince words; examples are short and to the point; each chapter covers a major rule so it is easy to follow and return to for a refresher. Too many of us, men and women, have been too ignorant, too disinterested, too willing to enter relationships based upon the wrong assumptions and expectations. This book lights the path towards establishing relationships that can grow and withstand the changes time will inevitably bring. Good luck...

I absolutely LOVE this book!!! It is so helpful and insightful!!! It helps you get everything into perspective and teaches you not only how to love another but how to love yourself as well! I recommend this book to anyone and everyone! I have already told so many people about it!!!

This book has been a wake-up call for me. It helped me understand myself and my partner in life. It has taught me how to develop and maintain a lasting authentic relationship.

(Sorry, English is not my mother-tongue.)
This is a great relationship-book! You won't find boring advice that you need to be supportive to your partner, you need to cherish him / her as often you could... but straightly to the point, Cherie will tell you that you need to differentiate being supportive and controlling... etc.

Those things commonly happened in our relationships, and it's nice to have someone reminded us to be a better person for our beloved one. Worth to collect. Recommended for you who're still single, also for married couple.

I'm finished reading this book, but I still use this book as reference, when I feel my relationship start getting trouble. And however, it helps!

This was a really good book. It gave me a lot of good insight on what to look for in a spouce. It also taught me some things about myself. I recommend this book to anyone who seem to be finding love in all the wrong places.

This practical handbook is not only for the service slave, but for the Master and Mistress as well. Both benefit by getting the specific directions necessary to take their Dominance/submission to the next level. This is a buffet of experiences. Pick the ones that suit you and your family. Modify, revamp and use this enlightening treatise into one family's structure to create your own. The handbook is transformational, and I highly recommend it to novices as well as those seasoned in the art of power exchange.

To my knowledge, there is no other book out there like this one. After a healthy orientation to the world of Leather, the book divides into two main parts: how the slave is to behave in public Leather events and how the slave is to prepare the evening for a formal High Leather Protocol dinner. It is written in the first person, directly guiding the slave through these activities.

I found this book interesting because often, particularly in new Master/slave relations, the slave is unsure what to do to serve the Master and the Master is unsure how he wants to be served. This book seems designed to help in those situations.

I also sense that the author is a little eccentric. Well, this relationship is certainly an unusual one. You will do well to think of this book as a Leather Etiquette book. If you're not familiar with the Leather culture, this will surely be an eye-opener.

"Protocols" was the first Lifestyle book I'd read, and it changed my life forever. I'd already known I was submissive, but by the third chapter I realized that I was a slave! I absolutely love this book, it is stuffed with information about the dynamics of the M/s relationship. Dr. Rubel allows us see how he has used protocols to create a structure that keeps the M/s relationship alive, not just day to day but moment to moment, over both time and distance. The beauty of this book is that it is written to be a snapshot, if you will, of an ongoing Master/slave relationship, which the reader can use as a spring-board to create your own protocols that work for you according to your individual needs. And frankly, not just within the Master/slave dynamic either; even non-lifestyle folk could benefit from taking the examples given and creating a structure for on-going communication and a healthier relationship all around.

As I write this there are 20 reviews of this book on the Amazon website, all good. I have nothing to add about their comments regarding this book; it gets right to the heart of the subject.

The book, however, suffers from something I call "random comma disease." The author (or editor?) likes to put commas in inappropriate places in sentences: "Now, is a good time to develop a more loving connection with yourself" (p. 99), or "Accepting responsiblity for what happens in our lives, gives us a lot of freedom and more control, than when we look for someone to blame" (p. 54). Occasionally the odd misplaced semi-colon creeps in as well: "As you gain clarity on what a positive relationship means to you; you will attract it easily" (p. 95).

Surely a conscientous proof-reader could have caught these errors before the book went to press.

Jeanette Castelli self-help book cuts through the long term recovery from breakups and gives the straight bottomline steps to get on with your life.
This is not a quick fix book nor a thesis in human behavior, it is just the right dosage of reality check and inner work. Extreme Breakup Recovery is a shortcut that works when it comes to getting over pain and moving on after breaking up.

As a man, I was surprised how far I fell from grace when a four year relationship with a woman that pushed me to "get married" suddenly and unexpectedly decided to "break-up", after I agreed to "get married"... Huh? My Hearty was broken and my head was all messed-up! This book really helped me start moving on "head and heart" from the beginning... no typical "girly" perspectives or "PMS" excuses. Straight forward, workbook style that leads the way to gettting the job done and openning the door to move on...which I have in a positive manner! Thank you!

In this book I found the way to move on. I was very hopless and thinking that it would take me a long time to feel good again. After reading Extreme Breakup Recovery, I could move on. Actually, after the first few chapters, I was already able to function. Now I have moved on, learned a lot and I am getting ready for a new more positive relationship.

I read about this book in Cosmopolitan April article "The new way to get over a guy" and I bought the book.

It is an easy read, full of wise and practical advice to understand and heal the heavy emotions after a breakup and stop the pain. Also it shows you how to find and learn the lessons from the relationship, develop more self-esteem and move on.

Excellent and really helps !!

I have bought this book for the third and final time. I have even bought this book for friends. It's a great book to read when you are getting out of a relationship and are feeling a bit discouraged in the self-esteem department. Keep it handy, read a few pages at a time and motivate yourself!

This book is so real, cuts through the b.s., and tells women what is essential for keeping sane in our relationships with men.

I picked up "What Smart Women Know" in a bookstore about 15 years ago, when I was 21 and in a bad relationship. I have kept this book, and I know it has helped me through many other relationships, over the past 15 years.

I am not even going to cite sayings from the book, because I couldn't do it justice that way.

I feel lucky I wandered into that book store and grabbed this book. I have read many other self-help/relationship books, and they did not help me in any way near as much as "What Smart Women Know"

I think many of us would ultimately get the love we deserve if we paid atttention to much of the advice in this book.

Go get it, Sisters!

I am a smart professional woman who has (and still is) learning the "hard way" about relationships. This book is an awesome resource for a quick pick-me-up. It's super easy to read ... You can turn to any page and start reading without being lost. I've "doggy-eared" so many pages that I want to remember so I can flip to them quickly. It's full of one-liner realities that you never think of, but they make a whole lot of sense. Some of my favorites: "Smart women know that a woman's most powerful sense is her sense of self;" or "Experience is what you get when you don't get what you want;" and "Smart women have the sense to appreciate a man who has no interesting problems."

I am buying this book for all of my single (and should-be-single) girlfriends for their birthdays... Whether they want it or not! It's a must-read for women who are in the bad habit of not valuing themselves enough in relationships.

I highly recommend it!! I carry it in my purse!

I bought this book for the first time after my first marriage ended (should have read the book before I married him). Not long after, I thought I was in love with a man who had some interesting problems. Thank goodness I read the book and realized that I couldn't help him. I've given multiple copies of this book away and have loaned it out to many others. It's currently on loan to a friend who is going through a divorce. I'm married to a wonderful man and I like to flip through the book just to remind myself how lucky I really am to have a man who loves me and respects me. He understands me and I understand him. I love being a smart woman because I'm a happy woman. I'm about to order this book for my niece. She doesn't yet know what smart women know.

I selected this book for my 16 year old daughter a few months ago because she has a boyfriend who was doing and saying things that made her uncomfortable. She devoured it and made many notations in the margins. Since then, she has asked me to order the book for two female friends. She became very empowered by the straight forward advise given in the book and seemed relieved to finally be able to solidify her priorites. We are a family that models healthy relationships, but sometimes teens need various forms of healthy support in order to make values clear(church, teachers, mentors). This book was one of those sources for my daughter.

Didn't save my relationship, but still, there was quite a few bits of wisdom in this book. Better than many others I have read giving advice on relationships. Perhaps I will have better luck next time.

I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in positive relationships. I know that the title contains the word "Idiot" but actually it's one of the best, simplest, and most comprehensive self-help books I've ever read on relationships....and I have read many.

After many years of trial and error, ups and downs, and several relationships that, though painful at times,
were valuable to me for learning and growing, I now know that if you open your mind and heart and decide to do some work to prepare yourself to become a good partner then eventually, maybe sooner than later, you will meet the right person for you. More importantly, you will be able to *recognize* them and *participate* in a good relationship with them.

Easy to read and discuss with your partner. This book has a lot of excellent information and good ideas for getting a sliding relationship back on track. I recommend each parntner reading a chapter, then taking 30 to 60 minutes to discuss it together. I especially enjoyed the quizzes.

I'm almost sad that they called this an "Idiot's Book" because it makes it seem like the information in here is very low-level. It's actually incredibly helpful for all levels of couples - from those who have never dated anyone else before to those who have dated quite a bit but now want to learn more about their relationship.

There are chapters on everything in here - cheating on the internet, the way you deal with your partner's parents, dealing with losses, your arguing styles, how you criticize each other, working through sexual incompatabilities, you name it. I can't imagine any couple that couldn't learn a few things by reading through this. Even if one partner reads it and then talks to the other about the key topics, it'll help a relationship shake out the kinks.

Highly recommended.

This book is not like the rest. no heavy leaning on spiritualism or pressing religious faith as the answer as so, so, so many "relationship books" do.
Also, if you are given this book as a gift and are offended by the title, You really are an idiot. its a series of books people which are based off of all the best parts of other books which in turn saves you from buying a stack of books. If this book does not benefit or improve your relationship you either never read and practiced the lessons and little quizzes or you simply don't want your relationship to work.