Newburyport Public Library

The incurable romantic, and other tales of madness and desire, Frank Tallis

eng

Includes bibliographical references and index

index present

non fiction

The incurable romantic

bibliography

1013590788

Frank Tallis

and other tales of madness and desire

Love defines us. It shapes the individual, ensures the preservation of the species, and is the principal subject we - as a culture - choose to examine in our art forms. The experience of being in love is powerful and it inevitably changes how we feel and how we behave. Even when love is normal it is so intense that for thousands of years doctors and poets have described love as a kind of madness; however, love can also go wrong. When this happens the consequences for the individual and those around them can be far reaching and in some instances truly astonishing. Lovesickness is not a trivial matter. Unrequited love is a frequent cause of suicide (particularly among the young) and over ten percent of murders are connected with sexual jealousy. In the course of his career, Frank Tallis has treated many fascinating patients, and their stories, told here, are dramatic, bizarre and revealing

The barrister's clerk : love that accepts no denial -- The haunted bedroom : ageless passion -- The woman who wasn't there : suspicion and destructive love -- The man who had everything : addicted to love -- The incurable romantic : on the impossibility of perfect love -- The American evangelist : sins of the flesh -- The stocking game : Dr B and Fräulein O--a cautionary tale -- Narcissus : desire reflected -- The night porter : guilt and self-deception -- The 'good' paedophile : tainted love -- The couple : improbable love -- Brain cuts : love dissected