Why We Need Love

Provocative and eye-opening, Why We Need Love is one of three slim selections of philosophical texts and excerpts—along with Why We Fight and Why Our Decisions Don’t Matter—introduced and contextualized by acclaimed author Simon Van Booy (Love Begins in Winter, The Secret Lives of People in Love).

This book explores how some of the greatest minds of civilization have tackled a question that continues to play a vital part in our lives today. In Why We Need Love, Simon Van Booy curates an enlightening collection of excerpts, passages, and paintings, presenting works by Geoffrey Chaucer, William Shakespeare, John Donne, William Blake, George Eliot, Emily Dickinson, O. Henry, W. B. Yeats, James Joyce, E. E. Cummings, Anaïs Nin, Marc Chagall, J. Krishnamurti, and others.

What does love mean to a poet, a philosopher, a novelist, or a zoologist?

• Classic Literature: Explore love through the eyes of literary giants like Chaucer, Shakespeare, and James Joyce, with curated excerpts from their most influential works.
• Poetry About Love: Discover timeless verses on romance, longing, and devotion from poets such as Emily Dickinson, W. B. Yeats, and William Blake.
• Psychology of Love: Question the very nature of our desires with groundbreaking perspectives from thinkers like psychoanalyst Erich Fromm and zoologist Desmond Morris.
• Spiritual Philosophy: Find deeper meaning in human connection with insightful passages on mindfulness and self-knowledge from spiritual teachers Jiddu Krishnamurti and Thich Nhat Hanh.