A review by croscot
All About Love: New Visions by bell hooks

informative fast-paced

3.75

I really enjoyed the chapters on definitions of love, honesty, communication, the connection (or lack thereof) between love and abuse, parenting and receiving love in one's childhood, and how patriarchy is detrimental to building a caring and loving society. However, I disagreed with the heavy implication that love inevitably leads to spirituality, or that spirituality is a prerequisite to love. I think that both can coexist, and many religions are indeed built on preaching love for thy neighbour. But, realistically, preaching and practising are two different things. Personally, I see religious love as something conditional and exclusive, like a contract that guarantees your expulsion and isolation in case you breach it. And that's not love at all.