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The Chemistry Between Us: Love, Sex, and the Science of Attraction by Larry Young, Brian Alexander
beeshep's review against another edition
4.0
I really enjoyed this book - I felt like I was taking a psychology class every time I started reading. The author made it very easy to understand and also brought some humor into it, which made an awkward and taboo subject much more casual and approachable. Very good read.
lisalit's review against another edition
5.0
J'ai pris tellement de temps à lire ce livre, non pas car c'était ennuyant et difficile à comprendre. Plutôt l'inverse, passionnant et si accessible que je voulais m'imprégner de cette connaissance de manière à mémoriser les moindres details.
Ce qui est fascinant lorsque l'on parle d'amour, de sexe ou bien juste d'attirance, c'est que ces sujets touchent tous le monde. En effet, qui ne se retournerai pas avec des grands yeux à l'écoute que la raison pour laquelle certains et certaines sont infidèles pourrait se trouver au niveau chimique dans votre cerveau? D'experience, je peux vous répondre : personne.
Et malgré les quelques semaines passées à dévorer (bouchées par bouchées) ce livre, je suis persuadée que je le relirai très bientôt, avec toujours autant d'interêt.
Evidemment je vous le conseille, et je serai ravie d'en discuter avec vous si vous le souhaitez.
Ce qui est fascinant lorsque l'on parle d'amour, de sexe ou bien juste d'attirance, c'est que ces sujets touchent tous le monde. En effet, qui ne se retournerai pas avec des grands yeux à l'écoute que la raison pour laquelle certains et certaines sont infidèles pourrait se trouver au niveau chimique dans votre cerveau? D'experience, je peux vous répondre : personne.
Et malgré les quelques semaines passées à dévorer (bouchées par bouchées) ce livre, je suis persuadée que je le relirai très bientôt, avec toujours autant d'interêt.
Evidemment je vous le conseille, et je serai ravie d'en discuter avec vous si vous le souhaitez.
micheleashley's review against another edition
5.0
Informative, interesting, and incredibly enjoyable!
maddness22's review against another edition
challenging
informative
slow-paced
3.25
Overall, not a bad breakdown of the brain chemistry that composes human relationships and emotional bonds. As a reader though, this was SO incredibly dry at points. There's so much focus on animal behaviors and studies conducted on animals just for most of the reviewed studies to be appended with "well we don't know for sure how this translates to humans" which was frustrating.
I enjoyed the chapters about addiction and infidelities though as those focused primarily on human studies and behaviors with actual case studies that I could easily follow.
A fair warning as well - some of the language is outdated for their research. The research is relatively progressive for 2011, but the use of "transsexual" for transgender folks threw me off several times.
I enjoyed the chapters about addiction and infidelities though as those focused primarily on human studies and behaviors with actual case studies that I could easily follow.
A fair warning as well - some of the language is outdated for their research. The research is relatively progressive for 2011, but the use of "transsexual" for transgender folks threw me off several times.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal cruelty
theybedax's review against another edition
4.0
While I did listen to this as an audiobook I do believe that I would of gotten more out of it if I had read it myself. So much of this was very interesting and I would love to see what might be added or changed since this was released.
morgan_blackledge's review against another edition
4.0
This book is a blast! It's laugh out loud, nurdy, raunchy fun. It's well written and researched and it's as informative as it is entertaining. If you end up reading it, be prepared to bug the shit out of your friends with all the neurosmut factoids you'll be (over) sharing with them during the coming weeks.
I highly recommend this book, but with a word of caution. If you decide to read this thing, prepare to have (what's left of) your puerile, romantic mysterienism regarding love, sex and attraction dashed on the rocky shores of psychnuroendocrinology. If you would prefer to maintain a shred of ignorant bliss (no judgment either way), than skip this one and enjoy your blue pill. I think those things are chewable, yum!
If you're ready to eat the red pill (an often bitter but acquired taste), you will be rewarded by having some of your most nagging questions from junior high school answered (at last) and some of your doubtlessly shameful secrets completely demystified and normalized.
Hint; It ain't magic, it's nervous systems under the influence of happy, crappy and fappy chemicals, doing what they evolved to do. Which is basically to trick, cajole or otherwise bamboozle you into the otherwise loathsome chore of reproduction. Alas, we are (largely) meat puppets dangling from strings of neurons and chemistry.
If the "miracle" of love is your higher power, and you equate the cutaway gear meets gear view of things with base reductionism, than be wise and pass. But if you're like me, and you find plausible naturalistic, cause and effect explanations sexy and uplifting (sublime even), than you just found your next read!
I highly recommend this book, but with a word of caution. If you decide to read this thing, prepare to have (what's left of) your puerile, romantic mysterienism regarding love, sex and attraction dashed on the rocky shores of psychnuroendocrinology. If you would prefer to maintain a shred of ignorant bliss (no judgment either way), than skip this one and enjoy your blue pill. I think those things are chewable, yum!
If you're ready to eat the red pill (an often bitter but acquired taste), you will be rewarded by having some of your most nagging questions from junior high school answered (at last) and some of your doubtlessly shameful secrets completely demystified and normalized.
Hint; It ain't magic, it's nervous systems under the influence of happy, crappy and fappy chemicals, doing what they evolved to do. Which is basically to trick, cajole or otherwise bamboozle you into the otherwise loathsome chore of reproduction. Alas, we are (largely) meat puppets dangling from strings of neurons and chemistry.
If the "miracle" of love is your higher power, and you equate the cutaway gear meets gear view of things with base reductionism, than be wise and pass. But if you're like me, and you find plausible naturalistic, cause and effect explanations sexy and uplifting (sublime even), than you just found your next read!
ari767's review against another edition
4.0
This was a good read. I study psychology and neuroscience in school, so I am already really into what this book is about. That being said, this book is co-written by a journalist, and the book does not read like a typical scientific paper or book. I recommend this for anyone who is even remotely interested in attraction and what happens in our brains to make us attracted to other people. The book also discusses biological bases of infidelity, homosexuality, drug addiction, and more. The book is also laid out so you can pick and choose the chapters you want to read if you are only interested in a specific topic.
danigonzalez's review against another edition
3.0
As a neuroscientist, this book was a very interesting read. The narratives in this book made it interesting to learn about what happens in our brains as we form romantic and familial attachments, and how those relationships shape us for the rest of our lives. While interesting, this book was not a fast read. It can get a little heavy after a few pages and I found myself having to stop for a while and then pick it up again. It was still worth it. [b:The Chemistry Between Us: Love, Sex, and the Science of Attraction|13588415|The Chemistry Between Us Love, Sex, and the Science of Attraction|Larry Young|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1346660636l/13588415._SY75_.jpg|19175817][a:Larry Young|19036|Larry Young|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png]