543 reviews for:

Modern Love, Revised and Updated: True Stories of Love, Loss, and Redemption

Daniel Jones

4.11 AVERAGE

peter1rose's review against another edition

4.5

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I loved a lot of these stories, but one story really rubbed me the wrong way. As a trans man I found the story "My Husband is Now My Wife" to have transphobic undertones.

It felt like having a cis person recount on their troubles as their partner struggled with transitioning took away from how hurtful they were being to their partner and how hard it is to be trans. The author has every right to feel confused, but to blatantly misgender her for most of the story and to cry about the transition making her partner feel guilty, having her partner apologize over and over, felt so disgusting.

Some other stories on the other hand like "You May Want to Marry My Husband" were so beautiful and moving that I think the book is still worth reading. Maybe the addition of exploring and experiencing love from a trans pov would be helpful in giving a more diverse array to the selection. 

Edit: In reflection, my comments on the undertones of "My Husband is now My Wife" reminded me of white guilt. Similar reactions/discourse.

keemalcala's review against another edition

4.5

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective sad fast-paced

danazed's review

5.0

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Everyone should read this book.

nat_sage's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny inspiring reflective fast-paced

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I loved reading the various essays in this book.  It had so many perspectives on love and its various forms.  Its one of the only books that still makes me laugh and cry when I re-read it. 

glouten's review against another edition

3.5

emotional hopeful reflective fast-paced

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In true anthology fashion, some stories hit and some didn’t!! but there is that beautiful sense of humanity in each of these.. the very complicated and raw emotion of love is so well captured here. I think the way the sections of the book progressed was totally perfect for these stories.. from dating to family love! I only wish there were more stories of friendships in here.

ticapomi's review against another edition

3.5

emotional funny hopeful inspiring fast-paced

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This was so nice to read, all these authors are so talented oh my goddd.
My favorite essays were "You may want to marry my husband" by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, "Now I need a place to hide away" by Ann Hood, and "Something like motherhood" by Carolyn Megan.
Definitely recommend! Easy read and you can read it during small waiting periods like in between classes or waiting for the bus and shit.

emma_n's review

3.75

emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted reflective fast-paced

miasananna's review against another edition

5.0

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o livro tem alguns errinhos de tradução, mas nada demais. fora isso, amei as histórias.

toffychar's review

4.0

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It took me a while to get through this compilation, but I really enjoyed it. This is the perfect book to have on your nightstand that you can pick up when you need a quick 5-10 minute read. I thoroughly enjoyed the range of stories and love represented in this compilation - love isn't singular, but complex, complicated, nuanced, and I think these stories capture all the hues in between. My favorite section was the "Family Matters". Favorite stories are:
- The Race Grows Sweeter Near It's Final Lap
- Now I Need a Place to Hideaway
- Adolescence Without a Road Map
- My Husband is Now my Wife
- My First Lesson in Motherhood
- Two Decembers: Loss and Redemption

One of my favorite quotes from the collections comes from Beyond Divorce and Even Death: A Promise Kept: "Don't we all hop that when our time comes, we will have one such person left who will know what to do and feel privileged to do it?"

havlisar's review against another edition

5.0

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced