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How We Desire

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( 1,236 ratings, 93 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
How We Desire by Carolin Emcke explores the intricate nature of desire through a blend of personal narrative and philosophical inquiry. The book delves into the interplay between individual desires and societal norms, examining how these elements shape identity and human connection. Emcke reflects on themes of love, identity, and the quest for authenticity, inviting readers to consider the myriad ways desire influences our lives.
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're intrigued by the exploration of human desires and the complex factors that influence them. The author delves into the intersections of identity, culture, and biology, offering insights into how our backgrounds and experiences shape what we long for. This thought-provoking read could resonate with those interested in the nuances of human nature and the science behind our passions.

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A genre-busting, thoughtful and highly readable exploration of sexuality and identity by one of Germany's most admired writers.

A genre-busting, thoughtful exploration of sexuality and identity by one of Germany's most admired writers in the vein of Maggie Nelson, Eula Biss and Emily Witt.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

What if, instead of discovering our sexuality only once, during puberty, we discover it again later—and then again, after that? What if our sexuality reinvents itself every time our desire shifts, every time the object of our desire changes? What if the nature of our desire is constantly changing—growing deeper, lighter, wilder, more reckless, more tender, more selfish, more devoted, more radical?

How We Desire is an enthralling essay about gender, sexuality and love by one of Germany’s most admired writers. It’s about growing up, and discovering the contours of desire and difference, about understanding that we sometimes ‘slip into norms the way we slip into clothes, putting them on because they’re laid out ready for us’.

In telling her own story, Emcke draws back the veil on how we experience desire, no matter what our sexual orientation. And she examines how prejudice against homosexuality has survived its decriminalisation in the west.

This marvellous book pays homage to the radical magic and liberating tenderness of desire itself.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

How We Desire by Carolin Emcke is praised for its delicacy, vulnerability, and intellectual depth, presenting a passionate and enthralling narrative. Critics highlight its exploration of erotic boundaries, identity, and self-discovery through a thoughtful dialogue that resonates with personal and societal introspection. The work's emotional force and compelling intellectual exploration have been described as hypnotic and beautifully insightful.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781925603613

Publisher: Text Publishing

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 28 May 2018

Country: Australia

Imprint: The Text Publishing Company

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 153.0mm

Height: 235.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 256

About the Author

Carolin Emcke was born in 1967. She studied philosophy, politics and history in London, Frankfurt and at Harvard. From 1998 to 2013 she reported from war and crisis zones including Kosovo, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Gaza and Haiti. She has written a number of books, and in 2016 she received the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, which has also been won by Svetlana Alexievich, Orhan Pamuk and Susan Sontag. How We Desire is the first book by Carolin Emcke to be translated into English.

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