The School of Life: On Love

This collection of literature aims to educate, inspire, and transform lives; it follows four thinkers as they try to understand and fall in love. Essays in Love by Alain de Botton traces a love affair from the first kiss to argument and reconciliation, from intimacy to anxiety and heartbreak. A Lover’s Discourse by Roland Barthes examines the language we use when we’re in love, arguing it’s not a language we speak but a language addressed to ourselves and our imaginary beloved. On Love by Stendhal attempts to rationalize romantic love, inspired by unrequited passion. He combines logical analysis with all-consuming emotion, resulting in an astonishing work that mirrors his later masterpieces. The fourth book is Conditions of Love by John Armstrong.