Love is Not Enough is an Audible Original audiobook about navigating romantic relationships, which was the free featured Book of the Month recently. It’s about 7 & 1/2 hours long and I listened to it while gardening and on the treadmill. It’s not something I would’ve bought, I’m not much into self-help books, but I was curious as the author/narrator/interviewer also wrote The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*** which I haven’t read but has been a major bestseller. I found it surprisingly easy to listen to - Manson has a down to earth humorous conversation style, seems genuinely interested in his subjects’ problems, and some interesting insights. Manson makes it clear he’s not a therapist and has no training in psychology but he has researched the various topics covered and has an engaging common-sense approach to his interviewees. It also made me profoundly grateful once more not to be American or single.
Based around a series of interviews with five volunteers who are all suffering from different relationship issues: a single man who’s hooked on dating apps, another who’s terrified of commitment because of a terrible marriage, a woman who only seems to attract commitment-phobes, one who’s in love with a married man, and a lesbian who’s obsession with an unavailable woman is stopping her from truly engaging with her partner. Over about six months, Manson explores their situations, relationship histories, upbringing, hopes and fears, setting them “homework” and challenging their excuses and defences to show each one how their behaviour patterns are sabotaging their happiness.
I’ve been with my husband for nearly 19 years, married for nearly 15, and while we’re not perfect, we fortunately don’t have any of the issues raised here. We got together before the Internet basically took over modern dating - prior to that I’d been single for most of my adult life, apart from a couple of intense but immature relationships at university. Listening to this was therefore not as challenging or painful as it might be for people struggling with the personality conflicts discussed here. The one that did resonate, make me think, and make me sad, was about how narcissists end up with co-dependents, which described my parents to a T.
Vanessa, a successful professional woman, put up with being controlled and manipulated by her married lover for a couple of years, convinced he was the one for her, but happily (spoiler alert) Manson is able to persuade her to disentangle herself. I recognised my younger self in Mimi, who keeps dating emotionally unavailable men as a result of growing up with an emotionally unavailable father. I’d love to send this book back to 1990!!
Overall this was an interesting listen and I feel I’ve learned some new ways to think about certain aspects of both my and other people’s relationships. I’m even contemplating getting TSAONGAF with my next Audible credit!