Love: All That Matters

Love: All That Matters argues that the modern view on love has been distorted by a fixation on romantic love that has depleted our resources for living through the darker sides of love, whereas in fact there are several ways in which humans give and experience love over the course of their lives and it is best to have access to them all.

Vernon draws on science, psychology, philosophy and literature, to examine eight different kinds of love, each associated with a phase of human development. From infant narcissism and the emergence of eros, through puberty and the rush of romantic love, to the end of life and the love of God, this is a beguiling tour of the most mysterious force of all.

This accessible and readable book will appeal to both students and general readers, giving a fascinating introduction to the psychology and philosophy of love - and what matters most about it.

Dr Mark Vernon is an honorary research fellow at Birkbeck University of London. He has degrees in physics,theology and philosophy, and has trained as a priest and psychotherapist. He was a founding member of The School of Life in London and teaches regularly at The Idler Academy in London.

Mark's books include The Meaning of Friendship, The Good Life and How to Be an Agnostic. He broadcasts regularly on the BBC, and his journalism appears frequently in the Guardian, The Tablet, and the Times Literary Supplement.



'Mark Vernon has an unparalleled ability to convey profound philosophical ideas in a manner that is both accessible and personal but also rigorous and challenging.' Raymond Tallis