Modern love?

Love, as anyone who has experienced it knows, is a messy thing. It doesn't follow a clear-cut plan, there's no script, and it doesn't occur in a vacuum. There may be varying levels of commitment, unaccepting in-laws, difficulty conceiving, financial disparities, and societal pressures. And if there's anything about your own personal romantic history that you feel is depressing or less than fulfilling, then what better way to perk yourself up than to read about people in even worse situations. Modern Love: 50 true and extraordinary tales of desire, deceit, and devotion collects essays from the popular New York Times column "Modern Love". Edited by Daniel Jones, these soul-baring tales range from funny to tragic, with some of them sure to induce a little wincing, or at least some head-shaking. How could people behave like that? Couldn't they see this coming? What were they thinking? Well, look in the mirror and think about all the wacky things you've done in the name of love. (Personally, I used to clean the bright-work on our boat when we were dating. After 13 years of marriage, I still love my husband, but please don't look at the bright-work.)