Mating in Captivity
Esther Perel
About this book
Esther Perel challenges the idea that intimacy and erotic desire are natural companions in long-term relationships, arguing instead that desire requires distance, mystery, and transgression — and that love's security can actually extinguish the erotic imagination.
Key themes
- The domestication of desire: how familiarity dampens erotic charge
- The role of imagination, transgression, and forbidden fantasy in desire
- How parenthood changes the erotic life of partners
- The paradox: emotional closeness vs. erotic distance
- What couples can do to reignite desire within long-term commitment
About the author
Esther Perel is a Belgian-American psychotherapist and New York Times bestselling author. Her TED talk 'The Secret to Desire in a Long-Term Relationship' has been viewed more than 20 million times. She hosts the podcast Where Should We Begin?
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