Single, Dating, Engaged, Married

Navigating Life and Love in the Modern Age

Ben Stuart

God gives us purpose in each relational season we experience: singleness, dating, engagement, and marriage. Discover how to thrive in each one in the updated edition of the bestselling Single, Dating, Engaged, Married, now with a new chapter. In a society where everyone is supposedly more connected, why do more people than ever feel so lonely? Even as marriage rates decline, studies show that most single adults still hope to get married. But how can we navigate life and love in this disconnected culture? Has social media eroded the institutions that brought us together—and the deeper emotional intimacy they provided? Pastor and author Ben Stuart guides you in navigating the four stages of a relational life and embracing the intentions and truths God has established for each one. This updated edition includes an additional chapter on how to end dating relationships well. As you embark on this journey, you will discover how to: Leverage singleness to make an impact for the kingdom of God Pursue dating with clarity and purity Break up in a healthy and respectful way Use the season of engagement wisely to prepare for marriage Maximize your life as a married couple for shared mission Continually seek God and His will throughout each stage Discover how to embrace God's design, invest your life in what matters most, and find meaning in whatever season of life you're in.

Why Men Love Bitches

From Doormat to Dreamgirl - A Woman's Guide to Holding Her Own in a Relationship

Sherry Argov

Describes why men are attracted to strong women and offers advice on ways a woman can relate to men and gain a man's love and respect.

I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell

Tucker Max

"My name is Tucker Max, and I am an asshole. I get excessively drunk at inappropriate times, disregard social norms, indulge every whim, ignore the consequences of my actions, mock idiots and posers, sleep with more women than is safe or reasonable, and just generally act like a raging dickhead. But, I do contribute to humanity in one very important way: I share my adventures with the world."--Introduction

The State of Affairs

Rethinking Infidelity

Esther Perel

“Perel is a master at what she does.” ―The New Yorker “[Perel] knows the depth of your shame and the vibrancy of your lust.”- The New York Times From iconic couples’ therapist and bestselling author of Mating in Captivity comes a provocative and controversial look at infidelity with practical, honest, and empathetic advice for how to move beyond it. An affair can rob a couple of their relationship, their happiness, their very identity. And yet, this extremely common human experience―universally forbidden yet universally practiced―is poorly understood. Why do people cheat―even those in happy marriages? Why does an affair hurt so much? Do our romantic expectations of marriage set us up for betrayal? Is there such a thing as an affair-proof marriage? Is it possible to love more than one person at once? Can an affair ever help a marriage? For a decade, psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author Esther Perel traveled the globe and worked with hundreds of couples who have grappled with cheating. In this illuminating book, she weaves real-life case stories with incisive psychological and cultural analysis to provide insights and answers to help couples survive and thrive. Betrayal hurts, but it can be healed. An affair can even be the doorway to a new marriage―with the same person. Affairs, Perel argues, have a lot to teach us about modern relationships―what we expect, what we think we want, and what we feel entitled to. They offer a unique window into our personal and cultural attitudes about love, lust, and commitment. Through examining illicit love from multiple angles, Perel invites readers into an honest, enlightened, and entertaining exploration of modern relationships in its many variations. “Esther Perel is widely recognized as the world’s leading expert on marriage.”- Sunday Times Style “A fresh look at infidelity.” - Los Angeles Review of Books “Perel―a whip-smart emotional savant who pierces through human defenses with the efficiency of a surgeon―is a wonder to behold.”- Huffington Post “She doesn’t peddle in bromides or offer a shoulder to cry on―she’s too busy trying to shake you to your senses, insisting on your agency, your vitality, and your complicity in what happens in your marriage.” - The New York Times “[The State of Affairs] explores a vast landscape of the adulterous terrain . . . in a way that’s deeply humane and never preachy.” - NPR

From Front Porch to Back Seat

Courtship in Twentieth-Century America

Beth L. Bailey

From gentleman callers to big men on campus, from Coke dates to "parking," From Front Porch to Back Seat is the vivid history of dating in America. In chronicling a dramatic shift in patterns of courtship between the 1920s and the 1960s, Beth Bailey offers a provocative view of how we sought out mates-and of what accounted for our behavior. More than a quarter-century has passed since the dating system Bailey describes here lost its coherence and dominance. Yet the legacy of the system remains a strong part of our culture's attempt to define female and male roles alike.

Eight Dates

Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of Love

John Gottman, Julie Schwartz Gottman, Doug Abrams, Rachel Carlton Abrams

Whether you’re newly together and eager to make it work or a longtime couple looking to strengthen and deepen your bond, Eight Dates offers a program of how, why, and when to have eight basic conversations with your partner that can result in a lifetime of love. “Happily ever after” is not by chance, it’s by choice– the choice each person in a relationship makes to remain open, remain curious, and, most of all, to keep talking to one another. From award-winning marriage researcher and bestselling author Dr. John Gottman and fellow researcher Julie Gottman, Eight Dates offers an ingenious and simple-to-implement approach to effective relationship communication. Here are the subjects that every serious couple should discuss: Trust. Family. Sex and intimacy. Dealing with conflict. Work and money. Dreams, and more. And here is how to talk about them—how to broach subjects that are difficult or embarrassing, how to be brave enough to say what you really feel. There are also suggestions for where and when to go on each date—book your favorite romantic restaurant for the Sex & Intimacy conversation (and maybe go to a yoga or dance class beforehand). There are questionnaires, innovative exercises, real-life case studies, and skills to master, including the Four Skills of Intimate Conversation and the Art of Listening. Because making love last is not about having a certain feeling—it’s about both of you being active and involved.

Calling in "The One"

7 Weeks to Attract the Love of Your Life

Katherine Woodward Thomas

Are you frustrated by stymied relationships, missed connections, and the loneliness of the search for someone to spend the rest of your life with? Are you ready, instead, to find “The One”? In Calling in “The One,” Katherine Woodward Thomas shares her own personal experience to show women that in order to find the relationship that will last a lifetime, you have to be truly open and ready to create a loving, committed, romantic union. Calling in “The One” shows you how. Based on the Law of Attraction, which is the concept that we can only attract what we’re ready to receive, the provocative yet simple seven-week program in Calling in “The One” prepares you to bring forth the love you seek. For each of the 49 days of Thomas’s thoughtful and life-affirming plan, there is a daily lesson, a corresponding practice, and instruction for putting that lesson into action in your life. Meditation, visualization, and journaling exercises will gently lead you to recognize the obstacles on your path to love and provide ways to steer around them. At the end of those 49 days, you will be in the ideal emotional state to go out into the world and find “The One.” An inspirational approach that offers a radical new philosophy on relationships, Calling in “The One” is your guide to finding the love you seek.

Love Smart

Find the One You Want--Fix the One You Got

Phillip C. McGraw

SAMS LOCAL 12-29-2005 $26.00.

Everything I Know About Love

A Memoir

Dolly Alderton

New York Times Bestseller Like Bridget Jones’ Diary but all true— a wildly funny, occasionally heartbreaking coming-of-age memoir from the funny, sharp British journalist and podcast host, who Elizabeth Gilbert calls “a sparkling Roman candle of talent.” “The older you get, the more baggage you carry. When you date at twenty-five, everyone walks into the bar with a very neat, light carry-on. When you date from thirty onwards, get ready to meet someone absolutely brimming with history, complications and demands.” When it comes to the trials and triumphs of becoming an adult, writer Dolly Alderton has seen and tried it all. In her memoir, she vividly recounts falling in love, finding a job, getting drunk, getting dumped, and that absolutely no one can ever compare to her best girlfriends. Everything I Know About Love is about bad dates, good friends and—above all else— realizing that you are enough. Glittering with wit and insight, heart and humor, Dolly Alderton’s unforgettable debut memoir about navigating your twenties weaves together personal stories, satirical observations, a series of lists, recipes, and other vignettes that will strike a chord of recognition with women of every age. Perfect for fans of Nora Ephron and Caitlin Moran, this book is a hilarious and heartfelt look at the messiness of growing up: Female Friendship: A loving celebration of the ride-or-die girlfriends who get you through bad dates, terrible jobs, and the times you forget that you are enough. Relatable Humor: Dolly Alderton’s wildly funny and painfully honest stories of getting drunk, getting dumped, and figuring it all out will have you laughing with recognition. Dating Disasters: From MSN Messenger flirtations to disastrous first dates, a sharp and witty look at the trials and triumphs of looking for love in all the wrong places. Humorous Memoir: More than just stories, this debut includes satirical observations, lists, and even recipes for when your heart (or head) is aching.

ANNA KARENINA

Leo Tolstoy

Anna Karenina es ciertamente algo infeliz en su vida, pero presenta un carácter fuerte y vivaz cuando se le pide que lime una grieta importante que ha aparecido en el matrimonio de su hermano. Desafortunadamente, la misma visita diseñada para ayudar a su hermano le presenta al conde Alexei Vronsky y pone en marcha una cadena de eventos que se extenderán a través de las familias y la implacable sociedad de Moscú y San Petersburgo ricos. Inicialmente serializada durante cinco años en The Russian Messenger, Anna Karenina se publicó por primera vez como una novela de dos volúmenes en 1878. Fue la segunda novela de León Tolstoi, después de Guerra y paz y consolidando aún más su papel como el principal autor ruso de su época. Tolstoi se basó en su educación aristocrática para preparar el escenario para la novela, y se cree ampliamente que escribió sus propias experiencias y luchas con la religión (documentadas en Una confesión) en el personaje central de Konstantin Levin. Esta edición compila en un solo volumen la traducción al inglés de 1901 de Constance Garnett.

Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus

The Classic Guide to Understanding the Opposite Sex

John Gray

The Phenomenal #1 New York Times Bestseller In his classic guide to understanding the opposite sex, Dr. John Gray, provides a practical and proven way for men and women to improve their communication and relationships by acknowledging the fundamental gender differences between them. Once upon a time Martians and Venusians met, fell in love, and had happy relationships together because they respected and accepted their differences. Then they came to Earth and amnesia set in: they forgot they were from different planets. Based on years of successful counseling of couples and individuals, Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus has helped millions of couples transform their relationships. Now viewed as a modern classic, this timeless book has helped men and women realize how different they can be in their communication styles, their emotional needs, and their modes of behavior, and offers the secrets of communicating without conflicts, allowing couples to give intimacy every chance to grow. In this essential guide to understanding your partner, you’ll discover: Conflict-Free Communication: Learn why men offer solutions when women just want to feel heard, and how to finally express your needs without starting an argument. Different Coping Mechanisms: Understand why men retreat to their “caves” under stress and how giving him space can make him spring back with more love and attention. Core Emotional Needs: Discover the six primary love needs of women (like caring and understanding) versus men (like trust and acceptance)—and why giving what you want to receive often fails. How to Score Points: See why for a woman, a single rose can mean as much as a vacation, and learn the little things that make a huge difference in keeping the love tank full.

Relationship Goals (Movie Tie-In)

How to Win at Dating, Marriage, and Sex

Michael Todd

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A candid, inspiring guide to finding lasting love and sustaining a healthy relationship by getting real about your goals—based on the viral, multi-million-view sermon series about dating, marriage, and sex **The inspiration for the upcoming romantic comedy Relationship Goals, starring Kelly Rowland and Cliff “Method Man” Smith** “No matter where you are and no matter what stage of life you are in, Relationship Goals will be a game changer.”—Levi Lusko NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY COSMOPOLITAN You scroll through photo after photo of happy couples and think, I want that! But often those intimate relationships are a mirage—the closer you get to them, the more you realize they aren’t real at all. So what does a real relationship look like? And how do you get there? In Relationship Goals, Pastor Michael Todd digs deep to give you good news and real-life ideas for making the most of your most important relationships. Take a look at • how to choose intentional dating over recreational dating • ways to move on from mistakes you’ve made in the past • why love gets stronger after marriage • what the Bible has to say about sex (hot take: it’s more sizzling than you think) • why the best friendships have God at the center Whether you are married, single, or it’s complicated, aiming for the right targets will make all the difference in finding true satisfaction. As it turns out, God’s got the best relationship goals of all for your life. Why settle for less?

The Science of Happily Ever After

What Really Matters in the Quest for Enduring Love

Ty Tashiro

"A new approach to dating." – NPR There may be no formula for love, but that certainly doesn’t mean there’s no science behind it. In this fascinating analysis, acclaimed relationship psychologist Dr. Ty Tashiro sets out to revolutionize the ways we search for love. Dr. Tashiro’s research looks at the studies and research data behind romance and relationships. He pinpoints why our decision-making abilities seem to fail when it comes to choosing mates and how we can make smarter choices. Dr. Tashiro has discovered that if you want a lifetime of happiness—not just togetherness—it all comes down to how you choose a partner in the first place. With wit and insight, he explains the science behind finding a soul mate and distills his research into actionable tips, including: Why you get only three wishes when choosing your ideal partner Why most people squander their wishes and end up in unfulfilling relationships How wishing for the three traits that really matter can help you find enduring love Illustrated using entertaining stories based on real-life situations and backed by scientific findings from fields such as demography, sociology, medical science and psychology, Dr. Tashiro’s book provides an accessible road map to help people everywhere find their happily-ever-afters.

This Should Be Written in the Present Tense

Helle Helle

Dorte is twenty and adrift, pretending to study literature at Copenhagen University. In reality she is riding the trains and clocking up random encounters in her new home by the railway tracks. She remembers her ex, Per – the first boyfriend she tells us about, and the first she leaves – as she enters a new world of transient relationships, random sexual experiences and awkward attempts to write.

Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man

What Men Really Think About Love, Relationships, Intimacy, and Commitment

Steve Harvey

“Harvey offers surprising insights into the male mentality and gives women strategies for taming that unruly beast.” —Philadelphia Inquirer “Women should listen to Steve Harvey when it comes to what a good man is about. Steve Harvey dispenses a lot of fabulous information about men.” —Aretha Franklin The #1 New York Times bestseller from the new guru of relationship advice, Steve Harvey’s Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man is an invaluable self-help book that can empower women everywhere to take control of their relationships. The host of a top-rated radio show listened to by millions daily—and of cable TV’s The Steve Harvey Project—Harvey knows what men really think about love, intimacy, and commitment. In Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man, the author, media personality, and stand-up comedian gets serious, sharing his wealth of knowledge, insight, and no-nonsense advice for every good woman who wants to find a good man or make her current love last.

The Kama Sutra

Vatsyayana

A luxurious hardcover edition of The Karma Sutra with full-colour illustrations. The Kama Sutra is the world-famous text on lovemaking and fulfilment in matters of the heart. Originally compiled in the 3rd century AD by Vatsyayana, a celibate monk, it is a window on the social practices and sexual habits of an ancient world. In the 19th century it gained a new lease of life when translated into English by noted linguist Sir Richard Burton, who was determined to bring its perceptive ideas to a Western audience. The Kama Sutra would have presented a refreshing if shocking alternative to the stodgy marriage advice manuals of the Victorian age. Its basic tenet - that in order for marriages to be happy the participants should be well-versed in the arts of pleasure, both carnal and of the mind - still holds true. And, in spite of a risqué reputation, it is an illuminating, candid, common-sense guide to living a satisfying life.

My Horizontal Life

A Collection of One Night Stands

Chelsea Handler

In this raucous collection of personal stories, the bestselling author of Life Will Be the Death of Me recounts her time spent in the social trenches with that wild, strange, irresistible, and often gratifying beast: the one-night stand. You've either done it or know someone who has: the one-night stand, the familiar outcome of a night spent at a bar, sometimes the sole payoff for your friend's irritating wedding, or the only relief from a disastrous vacation. Often embarrassing and uncomfortable, occasionally outlandish, the one-night stand is a social rite as old as sex itself and as common as a bar stool. Enter Chelsea Handler. Gorgeous, sharp, and anything but shy, Chelsea loves men. My Horizontal Life chronicles her romp through the different bedrooms of a variety of suitors, a no-holds-barred account of what can happen between a man and a sometimes very intoxicated, outgoing woman during one night of passion. From her short fling with a Vegas stripper to her uncomfortable tryst with a cruise ship performer to her misguided rebound with a man who likes to play leather dress-up, Chelsea recalls the highs and lows of her one-night stands with hilarious honesty. My Horizontal Life is one guilty pleasure you won't be ashamed to talk about in the morning.

How to Not Die Alone

The Surprising Science That Will Help You Find Love

Logan Ury

Drawing from years studying psychology and relationships, a behavioral scientist turned dating coach, in this data-driven, step-by-step guide, shows you how to find, build and keep the relationship of your dreams.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville

Herman Melville

This book holds an important place among the World Classics.

Assisted Loving

True Tales of Double Dating with My Dad

Bob Morris

A "New York Times" Style columnist has written this humorous and bittersweet chronicle of the year he spent taking charge of his recently widowed, 80-year-old father's dating life--and how it inspired his own quest for love.