HOW TO LOVE

Narrator James Jenner provides the ideal tone for this sprawling relationship guide by a thoughtful psychiatrist. Jenner sounds calm, centered, and connected to some important sensibilities regarding the human condition. This satisfying guidance, more commentary than pointed advice, delivers its soothing wisdom in the form of richly textured essays. Occasionally, the writing is constrained by medical models of thinking, oversimplified categories, and gratuitous generalizations. But one can easily overlook these weaknesses once the author’s message of kindness and personal responsibility begins to unfold. With its thought-provoking insights, this book will remind many listeners of Scott Peck’s timeless writing. It is guidance that can be considered at any stage of a long-term relationship. T.W. © AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2010]