[.ca] The Alchemy of Love and Lust (ISBN 0671004441)

From Amazon.com:
It's dangerous to blame too many of our behaviors and tendencies on raging hormones. We are, after all, creatures of free will. But after reading Theresa Crenshaw's book, you'll never again see your free will as being all that free. The book functions as both an encyclopedia of our attachment-related hormones, telling us exactly what they are and exactly what modern science thinks they do, and a guide to what we can do to get them to keep functioning the way we want them to.

understanding hormones influence in Love:
Everyone should read this book before they think they are madly in love. It will help anyone discern whether it is the chemistry of our hormones or real love, or maybe both. In our lives it is often "hard to see the forest for the trees". This would help alot of people avoid making life mistakes.

good book for sex ed course:
This is a really impressive work. Dr. Crenshaw can really write about her subject matter. I have used the book is sexual behavior classes on the college level, and my students uniformly approve. the book is well-written and clear, and makes a fairly difficult subject matter easily understood. A top notch job.

Chemical determinism is not enough:
The author of this book contributes interesting material on the important biochemicals (dopamine, estrogen, progesterone, LHRH, testosterone, prolactin, oxytocin, and others) that influence and help to regulate the universe we think of as "human sexuality." You will learn more than a few things. It seems that a working knowledge of high levels of testosterone can teach us quite a lot. (Women, proceed with caution!) Unfortunately, she neglects other factors (and there are so many that make up human choices in love and sex: psychology, for example - and whether or not a couple has a single thing besides the kids to talk about after twenty-five years of marriage) that for me the information loses any authority it might have had. In addition, she has an ax to subtly grind, and it is that men and women in their fifties (and older) have the very best chance for sexual compatability - for a set of specific chemical and biologically determined reasons. This information would seem to argue for couples staying together, but as we know, there are many other factors beyond sexual compatability (which is often fully present in couples who are literally coming apart - in every other way) that must contribute to couples' happiness - not to mention fidelity. This book has interesting information about biochemicals' influence on our sex and love lives. You will doubtless recognize yourself and your mate in some of her descriptions, but as science it should be taken with a large grain of salt.

Chemical Bonding...:
The insight of how the range of hormones effects the F/M relationship was wonderful! Hormones is what makes love happen...It explains how these hormones control our thought, how we perform, and the part they play in our associations from birth on up. This book also gives information about Progesterone's and Estrogens and the use of these in Hormone Replacement Therapy. It helps you see and understand the actual chemical bonding which happens between F/M.

Best Book on Subject on the Market!:
Very impressed with this book, especially compared to the others on the market covering this general subject. The roles of the various hormones in male/female relationships was especially valuable and insightful. Best of all, the author would sometimes tell you what science doesn't know! How humble and honest. Her acknowledged speculations were also fascinating. Might just save your relationship. Another reviewer criticized it for not being a "relationship" book. They missed the point that hormones make a "relationship" - otherwise its just a room mate situation. Remember the saying "Love conquers all." ? Hormones make love happen and love helps us overcome the certain frictions in a "relationship". Too bad that most of her prescriptions require a prescription and hence an MD.