Myths of Love: Echoes of Ancient Mythology in the Modern Romantic Imagination

The famed sex therapist Dr. Ruth and her friend Singerman undertake a pet project, examining and speculating on the messages relevant to contemporary romance as presented in ancient Greek and Roman myths. The two authors tackle famous and lesser known myths, from Cupid and Psyche and Narcissus to Iphis and Ianthe. Themes explored%E2%80%94or suggested at%E2%80%94include homosexuality, abusive relationships, transgender issues, female sexuality, incest, and masturbation. Dr. Ruth clearly has a great familiarity with these ancient myths, and the obscure tales, including unknown versions of familiar stories, are fascinating to read. However, despite a premise full of potential, this title feels merely like a skeleton or outline of a book: chapters are often only a few pages long ending with vague conclusions, suggestions, or occasionally no conclusion at all. Where are the arguments or thesis statements one expects? Where are the sections explaining the applicability to today's society? The "Reading Notes" included at the end encourage much more thought than the book's actual contents. This book may best serve undergraduate English majors seeking ideas to inspire essays. (June)