Radio Respite: Gordon Livingston, M.D.

How to Love: Choosing Well at Every Stage of Life All of us want to be loved. But despite the Web, speed-dating, and all of the other ways the process has changed in the last decade or so, finding love isn't easy. And keeping it alive is even harder. Reminding us that we're defined by those with whom we spend our time, Gordon Livingston's How to Love begins by summarizing how we should choose our partner and the types of hurtful personalities and behaviors to avoid. "Beware of those who are sure they are right," Livingston cautions. He also advises us not to put too much stock in appearances since "what is essential is invisible to the eye." And he warns against getting involved with anyone for whom communication is a one-way street, explaining that "the first duty of love is to listen." Livingston goes on to lay out the virtues we should seek in a significant other--Kindness, Optimism, Courage, Loyalty, Tolerance, Honesty, Beauty, Humor, Flexibility, and Intelligence--and shows how to improve these qualities in ourselves so that we can attract a good mate...and love them better. Gordon Livingston, M.D., is a psychiatrist and writer whose three previous books--Only Spring; Too soon Told, Too Late Smart, and And Never Stop Dancing--have been published in more than twenty-two countries. He lives and works in Columbia, Maryland. Please visit his website at www.gordonlivingston.com.