Morano offers an entirely fresh approach to the problem of how desire structures the emotional and sexual realm of human experience. Drawing largely upon Freudian psychoanalysis, he explores the vast extent to which desire informs love, couple relationships, homosexuality, friendship, and sublimation just as it structures art, religion, and science. Particularly striking is Morano's account of the roots of romantic love: he argues that the forces of idealization play a significant role in shaping the choices people make regarding their partners. This book productively crosses disciplines—encompassing sociology, psychology, and philosophy—to offer an especially compelling account of what desire looks like when the subject is considered emotionally mature. The book, originally published in 2001, is here translated from the Spanish by Veronica Polo Torok, whose sensitivity to the nuances of the terms desire and sexuality is perfectly attuned to realizing the author's intention. Morano maintains a rare openness about sexuality through his exploration of the concept as psychoanalysis understands it within the multiple realms of personal, social, and religious experience. This book will be invaluable to scholars and students seeking a synoptic understanding of desire however they may be situated with respect to the fields of sociology, psychology, and philosophy. Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals.

Choice Reviews