This book turns our search for intimacy on its head, suggesting that our way to creativity in love may be through idiocy. The book takes its readers on a journey through the work of Plato and Melanie Klein in theorizing the dynamics of intimacy while exploring some of the paradoxical aspects of love in works by Fyodor Dostoevsky and French filmmaker Catherine Breillat. Revisiting core concepts of how we think about relationships, the book lays out a model for relational breakdown—the idiot lovecycle—in which we are constantly in the flux between seeing ourselves and seeing the other. Effecting close readings of literary, philosophical, and psychoanalytical sources, the book draws on parallels between these fields of inquiry while tracing their shared intellectual genealogy, suggesting that the tension between Narcissus and Cassandra, with its inherent conflicts, is also the space through which love emerges from intimacy.

The comprehensive guide to getting close—and closer . . . Renowned psychologist Dr. Paul Coleman gives readers a step–by–step, clear path to improving their relationships by helping them identify intimacy problems, understand key differences between men and women, change perceptions, overcome arguments, and effectively communicate. He also covers sexual intimacy and affection issues, including intimacy during stressful times, transitions, and as relationships progress. This book is a beacon for those looking to solve their struggles with intimacy. • Tools and exercises for both physical and emotional intimacy • Self-assessment tests and exercises to help pinpoint issues • For couples, singles, and families, men and women • Coleman is an expert with an active practice and specialty in intimacy issues who’s made appearances on Oprah, Today, and Geraldo

Reveals secrets for maintaining a good relationship, with tips on keeping the passion alive, coping with barriers, recognizing a bad relationship, and knowing when to call it quits

Bringing together 17 articles by renowned scholars from around the globe, this volume offers a multi-dimensional view of comparative and world literature. Drawing on the scope of these scholars’ collective intellects and insights, it connects disparate research contexts to illuminate the multi-dimensional views of related areas as we step into the third decade of the 21st century. The book will be of particular interest to scholars working in comparative literary and cultural studies and to readers interested in the future of literary studies in a cross-culturized world.

THE DARKROOM contains the script for Duras' 1977 radically experimental film Le camion (The Truck), as well as four manifesto-like propositions in which Duras protests that most movies "beat the imagination to death" because they "are the same every time they are played." She also accuses the gatekeepers of traditional cinema of treating intelligence as if it were a "class phenomenon" and distinguishes her own approach: a cinema based on ideas and sensory experience. In the dialogue with Michelle Porte at the end of the book, Duras further describes her filmmaking style, discussing everything from her biography to her critique of Marxism. Much of the film consists of the sounds and images of a truck rumbling through an industrial landscape dotted with dilapidated, immigrant shantytowns. Periodically, the images of the truck are interrupted by cutaways of Duras and Gérard Depardieu sitting in Duras' living room, reading from a script that includes a dialogue between a staunchly communist truck driver and an anonymous, ethnically-unidentifiable woman who stands in as an alter-ego for Duras and at the same time is a substitute for "everyone." Neither of the characters are ever shown on-screen. Via an afterimage effect, the juxtaposed voice-over text and cutaways help the film's audience members project their own images of the truck driver and hitchhiker onto the screen. The truck driver quickly decides the hitchhiker is "a reactionary" suffering from some kind of "mental disturbance." Using the "mad," uneducated woman (who, is, nevertheless, interested in everything from the position of the earth in the universe to politics to such august personalities as Proust, Corneille, and Marx), Duras criticizes the invasion of Prague by the Soviets in 1968 and its support by the French Communist Party. Between the images of the truck, juxtaposed voice-overs, and cutaways to Duras and Depardieu, the art of film becomes the art of opening audience members to the possibility of engaging multiple faculties-not only the visual and the aural, but also memory, imagination, and desire.

In a world of Mr. Right Nows, a guide to Mr. Right . . . Chock full of solid advice, this guide for women offers exercises to help the reader learn more about herself. She then uses that information to recognize mates with compatible qualities. In it are the five myths about Mr. Right, the seven deadly sins that women make while dating, how to spot Mr. Wrong, where to meet Mr. Right, dating DOs and DON'Ts, and much more. • From the editors of John Gray's MarsVenus.com and relationship editors of SingleMindedWomen.com

Simple steps to connecting with others. Now readers can raise their social intelligence quotient with a little self-knowledge and practice. Beginning with a series of short quizzes that generate a personal social profile, this guide explains how readers can enhance their ability to create and sustain mutually enriching relationships, make friends, and build a rich social network. • “Social intelligence” is the new buzz word in the psychology of relationships. • Includes social personality quizzes. • Hot, new self-help topic. • Author Gregory Korgeski, PhD, has more than 30 years of experience as a licensed psychologist.