I have an amateurish interest in psychology and even some psychoanalysis, despite its cough b••••••• or because of it? (It's kind of elegant, if too tidy). Anyway, what attracted me to this book it's that Robert A. Johnson uses myths from Arthurian legend (written around the 12th c.) to analyze the makeup of the modern mind. In this book, he focuses on the story of Tristan and Iseult and how it has shaped our conception of romantic love. He (rather accurately, in my opinion) vilifies our ideals of romantic love, purporting that it is the cause most romantic relationships ultimately fail.

Even though the title says 'We', it focuses more intensely on how men try to project a fantastical ideal of the 'perfect' woman on every potential relationship, which inevitably leads to disappointment and disillusion. In the end, he advocates for human love as opposed to romantic love. To learn to love and appreciate the ordinary, and base our human love on the strong, solid foundation of friendship and commitment. As he aptly concludes to love 'unburdened by the dogmas of our culture'. Something that for us Westerners is very difficult to do...