Mating in Captivity Book Summary

In 'Mating in Captivity', psychotherapist Esther Perel explores the intricate dance between intimacy and erotic desire within long-term relationships. She challenges societal norms, revealing how the paradox of love and lust can be maintained amidst the routines of everyday life. Perel uses real-life case studies to illustrate her insights, exposing the vulnerabilities that couples face when trying to keep passion alive. As she delves into the psychology of desire, she offers provocative strategies to reignite the spark in committed partnerships. This compelling examination leaves readers questioning: Can love and desire truly coexist?

By Esther Perel

Published: 2007

"The challenge of sustaining desire in a long-term relationship is one of the greatest tasks of love."

Book Review of Mating in Captivity

One of the world’s most respected voices on erotic intelligence, Esther Perel offers a bold, provocative new take on intimacy and sex. Mating in Captivity invites us to explore the paradoxical union of domesticity and sexual desire, and explains what it takes to bring lust home. Drawing on more than twenty years of experience as a couples therapist, Perel examines the complexities of sustaining desire. Through case studies and lively discussion, Perel demonstrates how more exciting, playful, and even poetic sex is possible in long-term relationships. Wise, witty, and as revelatory as it is straightforward, Mating in Captivity is a sensational book that will transform the way you live and love.

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The challenge of sustaining desire in a long-term relationship is one of the greatest tasks of love.

Mating in Captivity

By Esther Perel