Wrestling With Love: How Men Struggle With Intimacy [Paperback]

Samuel Osherson Ph.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 11, 1993

In Wrestling with Love, psychologist Sam Osherson, author of the highly acclaimed Finding Our Fathers, reveals how men in our culture struggle to achieve intimacy in their relationships, even as strong messages about masculinity demand that they hide their desire for attachments. Osherson begins by offering a startling observation, based on his extensive experience with men: the desire to connect and the impulse to shun intimacy often arise at the same time. Osherson looks at how this ambivalence undercuts men at every stage of their lives, from boyhood through grandfatherhood, and offers concrete, workable advice for how men can free themselves from these conflicts.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A rare combination of compassion, insight and wisdom ... The author's depth of experience shines through, offering men a powerful sense of being understood. This book touched me, and helped me feel better about myself."

-- Augustus Y. Napier, Ph.D.

Author of The Family Crucible and The Fragile Bond



"In the broadening wake of Iron John and Fire in the Belly comes an equally strong entry ... with highly viable strategies and trustworthy solutions.... A lucid and perceptive offering."

-- Kirkus Reviews

"Enormously helpful ... Insightful ... This is a brave look into the complexity of the male heart."

-- Arlie Hochschild

Author of The Second Shift: Working Couples and the Revolution at Home

From the Inside Flap

In Wrestling with Love, psychologist Sam Osherson, author of the highly acclaimed Finding Our Fathers, reveals how men in our culture struggle to achieve intimacy in their relationships, even as strong messages about masculinity demand that they hide their desire for attachments. Osherson begins by offering a startling observation, based on his extensive experience with men: the desire to connect and the impulse to shun intimacy often arise at the same time. Osherson looks at how this ambivalence undercuts men at every stage of their lives, from boyhood through grandfatherhood, and offers concrete, workable advice for how men can free themselves from these conflicts.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 387 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (May 11, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449908267
• ISBN-13: 978-0449908266
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,683,239 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Empathy for men, October 5, 2001

By 

An observer (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wrestling With Love: How Men Struggle With Intimacy (Paperback)

The book is a study of men, written from a man's perspective. Did you ever wonder why men are so complicated? This book will not "fix" your relationship, but it will reveal to you the legitimate reasons why the man in your life is so weird, at the same time needy and aloof. The book is not hypothetical, it's about Sam Osherson's observations of real men in his life and practice. These are not "damaged men," but the way men just happen to be. Osherson shows that it's not easy to be a man: there are major tensions in the meaning of manhood, and every man has to find his own way to play them out. I came away from this book overwhelmed by a strange empathy for men. Men are far more sensitive creatures than we had ever imagined, and Osherson has shown us that studying them with compassion--whether it's in your home, your office, or even your long-ago memories--can be an immensely satisfying experience.