Revolutions of the Heart

by Wendy Langford

This book looks at how heterosexual relationships really work. Author?? argues that the process of falling in love is just a brief holiday from the gender roles which quickly reassert themselves in their old forms. Topics covered include romantic love, the problem of desire and the trouble with love.

Genres: Feminism, Love, Relationships

184 pages, Paperback

First published May 13, 1999

Reviews

[Sander Philipse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wendy Langford argues persuasively that romantic love and desire trap people in what will inevitably be gendered, patriarchal, and destructive relationships. The emphasis placed on attraction and a personalized, idealized, and never realized version of love, lead to unfulfilled dreams and a power struggle to impose each person's unattainable ideal of romantic love on their partner. Instead, Langford argues we should be looking for long-term commitment and compatibility, true partnerships breaking the chains of patriarchy, and discarding our current notions of romantic love. While her view is perhaps overly pessimistic, it's a valuable and original insight into the way romantic love fits in and reinforces patriarchy.

[Black Pacino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book. Although I scoff at the use of Freud as the underlying theoretical explanation, her observations of the romantic love phenomena are incredibly salient. I believe any one hoping to "couple" up reads this book first. It ends rather ambivalently and I am not necessarily satisfied with the conclusion, but whether that's my own desire to see "love" made redeemable, or a general critique of the books writing is unclear. *Deep sigh*

Overall I give it a three because Freud was a weirdo and I refuse to continue pretending otherwise.

[olive · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blew my mind and cured my brain.