Publishers Weekly
01/02/2017
Jenkins, a philosophy professor at the University of British Columbia, shakes up the status quo from the very start of this philosophical inquiry into the nature of love, revealing in the introduction that she is in a polyamorous relationship with her husband and boyfriend. But that revelation isn’t intended to shock; instead, it jump-starts a serious conversation about the true meaning of love and its societal implications. This leads to a fascinating discussion on monogamy and why it is a central component “in the social role of romantic love.” “If I had to whittle this book down to one message, it would be a simple one: think about love for yourself,” Jenkins says. Her book is more of a conversation starter than a conclusive study, but her main message to readers—“think about love for yourself”—is clear, and her vulnerable voice is charming and relatable. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
"[Jenkins] lets readers in on some personal secrets, thereby creating the feeling that the book is a safe thinking space. Her personal approach also humanizes her argument because it gives readers concrete examples about the aggressions, judgments, and discriminations to which she has been subjected... An exceptionally clear and easily readable account of the current research into romantic love and ideas for how we might think differently about it."—Los Angeles Review of Books
"A testament to love... accessible to all."—National Post
"A rich and thoughtful book... Jenkins writes simply and engagingly about a subject on all our minds."—Toronto Star
"Jenkins navigates readers through philosophical and metaphysical conversations in an accessible, conversational, and frequently funny way, using analogies that are both memorable and useful... a readable and highly informative book... [Jenkins] stimulates an essential, relevant conversation in a novel, inspiring way."—Quill & Quire
"Required reading... Equally important to its subject matter, the book is a master class in how to think and why. Jenkins researches, questions, unpacks, considers, and examines... [she] uses her readable book to advocate for thinking both critically and in great depth as a form of self-protection and self-advocacy."—Booklist, starred review
"This is a remarkable book, philosophically rich but also personal in a way that is rare. It uses the almost cliched question what love is to draw the reader into a fascinating multidisciplinary exploration, drawing from science, history, philosophy, and politics. It's highly accessible to any reader, yet it also makes important original philosophical points—an extraordinary combination. It's a great introduction not just to its topic, but to what philosophy can be at its finest: rigorously argued and yet deeply relevant to the most important issues in our lives."—Jennifer M. Saul, Professor of Philosophy, University of Sheffield
"This book is an invitation to think for yourself about what romantic love is and might be. Carrie Jenkins writes with great clarity and openness about a concept that matters to us all."—Nigel Warburton, author of A Little History of Philosophy
