The Course of Love

I think I heard this book recommended on a podcast, but I don't remember which one or in what context it was recommended - something rather insightful was said, I would wager, such that I immediately requested the book from my library.

I wish I could say I loved it, but I feel pretty lukewarm. On the one hand, this is an insightful longitudinal study in a very ordinary marriage, allowing the reader into the view of how epic and dramatic any ordinary marriage becomes. I thought the pieces of relationship psychology were interesting and are well-supported by the literature (according to my friend who majored in Psychology and gets an intellectual hard-on anytime “attachment theory” is mentioned). I dog-eared a bunch of pages to make sure I write down and internalize what is unequivocally good relationship advice.

But on the other hand, the writing leaves me unimpressed. It reads like a didactic case study, not a novel (and I should know, I work in textbooks). The characters are over-explained - classic telling vs showing (come on, that's Good Writing 101!). The dialogue is forced, if not cringe-worthy, and I skimmed a whole lot. But the parts that hit home will stay with me a long time.

So... maybe pick this up, but more as a kind of cheesy educational resource than an exciting read.