Advance Praise (Short Version)
“…a beautifully written memoir…”
“…powerful and creative…”
“…A brilliantly thought-provoking masterwork.”
Advance Praise (Extended Version)
“When so much writing about love is cheap or superficial, it is a great and overdue pleasure to have this book by James H. Williams, Jr. Though his book is startling and exciting in its implications and clearly written from the heart, Professor Williams has also trained his powerful intellect and impressive scientific training on the vexed issue of love's essence and its sources to argue plausibly —and scientifically! — that love is eternal.
I have never read a book like this before. It is truly one-of-a-kind, but the magic of the book is to leave you feeling more powerfully bound to those you love. If you have ever loved anyone deeply, you will not forget this book. A brilliantly thought-provoking masterwork.”
— Andrew Szanton, coauthor of Have No Fear, the acclaimed memoir of civil rights leader Charles Evers
“This is a beautifully written memoir by an esteemed engineering professor at MIT that offers a fascinating, plausible and accessible scientific explanation of a subject that for thousands of years has been deemed the province not of science but of the arts —love. To do so, he examines the rich relationships he shares with four women and then uses his unique perspective and impressive education to bridge the gap between philosophy and science. In doing so, he suggests a surprising explanation for some of the greatest mysteries of the universe and answers one of the most perplexing questions of all: What is love?”
— Mitchell Zuckoff, Professor of Journalism, Boston University, and author of Ponzi’s Scheme (and the forthcoming Robert Altman: An Oral Biography)
“This book is powerful and creative, exploring aspects of the human condition that require courage and sensitivity rolled into one. Professor Williams’s vast and eclectic talents make such an exploration possible for readers whose minds will be stretched. Intrafamilial love is complicated and complex, yet Professor Williams has taken our understanding to a new plateau. D. H. Lawrence dealt with similar themes in his Sons and Lovers, but not as adeptly or artfully in my estimation.”
— Kenneth R. Manning, Thomas Meloy Professor of Rhetoric and the History of Science, MIT, and author of Black Apollo of Science: the Life of Ernest Everett Just
