How much control do we have over love? Much less than we like to think. All that mystery, all that poetry, all those complex behaviors surrounding human bonding leading to the most life-changing decisions we’ll ever make, are unconsciously driven by a few molecules in our brains. How does love begin? How can two strangers come to the conclusion that it would not only be pleasant to share their lives, but that they must share them? How can a man say he loves his wife, yet still cheat on her? Why do others stay in relationships even after the romance fades? How is it possible to fall in love with the “wrong” person? How do people come to have a “type”? Physical attraction, jealousy, infidelity, mother-infant bonding—all the behaviors that so often leave us befuddled—are now being teased out of the fog of mystery thanks to today’s social neuroscience. Larry Young, one of the world’s leading experts in the field, and journalist Brian Alexander explain how those findings apply to you. Drawing on real human stories and research from labs around the world, The Chemistry Between Us is a bold attempt to create a “grand unified theory” of love. Some of the mind-blowing insights include: Love can get such a grip on us because it is, literally, an addiction. To a woman falling in love, a man is like her baby. Why it’s false to say society makes gender, and how it’s possible to have the body of one gender and the brain of another. Why some people are more likely to cheat than others. Why we sometimes truly can’t resist temptation. Young and Alexander place their revelations into historical, political, and social contexts. In the process, they touch on everything from gay marriage to why single-mother households might not be good for society. The Chemistry Between Us offers powerful insights into love, sex, gender, sexual orientation, and family life that will prove to be enlightening, controversial, and thought provoking.
Download and start listening now!
"Excellent book! Great for any one really nerdy into love, sex, and attraction."
— Kristin (5 out of 5 stars)
" So many interesting tidbids and areas of research "
— Lisa, 12/9/2013" High in the technical details of hormones and chemicals associated with them. Insightful, but with details of experiments performed animals, from rodents to monkeys, I found it a little disturbing. "
— Brigid, 12/2/2013" I wanted to love this book but it lacked substance. I tend to like books with titles similar to this that contain good science--this one was light on facts and contained too much fluff for my liking. It was good enough that I did finish it though. "
— Susan, 11/3/2013" Authors explore neuroscience of love and relationships. Surprisingly quite readable, especially since much of this is based on research on animal models of human behavior. I don't always agree with their interpretations of these studies but entertaining nonetheless. "
— jen8998, 7/25/2013" It's all biology and the chemicals in your brain to ensure the survival of the species that creates the feeling of love... So the book says. But I think, maybe we need it for our own survival too. "
— Kristine, 2/12/2013" This book explained me to myself. "
— Quoc, 1/25/2013Larry Young, PhD, is the director of the Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, the William P. Timmie Professor of Psychiatry at Emory University School of Medicine, and chief of the Division of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychiatric Disorders at Yerkes National Primate Research Center. He lives in Atlanta.
Brian Alexander is an award–winning journalist and author who has written about American culture for decades. He is a two-time finalist for the National Magazine Award. He has also been recognized by Medill School of Journalism’s John Bartlow Martin Awards for public interest journalism, the Association of Health Care Journalists, and other organizations. He has been a columnist for NBC News.
Lloyd James (a.k.a. Sean Pratt) has been a working professional actor in theater, film, television, and voice-overs for more than thirty years. He has narrated over one thousand audiobooks and won numerous Earphones Awards and nominations for the Audie Award and the Voice Arts Award. He holds a BFA degree in acting from Santa Fe University, New Mexico.