Love Smarts

Jane Heath is a psychology instructor at Ryerson Polytechnical
University.

This practical guide for singles in search of a relationship dispenses
sensible, down-to-earth advice. After briefly outlining the advantages
of life as a single, the book goes on to discuss such issues as
preparing oneself for a relationship; the psychological phenomena
underlying mutual attraction (here the book descends into an
oversimplified discussion of pheromones and neurotransmitters); what men
and women look for each other; where to find possible partners; how to
overcome shyness and deal with rejection; and the protocol and pitfalls
of dating for single parents (for example, is the new man in your life a
pedophile?). An appendix lists North American organizations that cater
to singles. Although the book’s profusion of anecdotes and letters
(the author writes a love column for a B.C. newspaper) and occasional
archness are at times distracting, single people will benefit from the
practical advice Tait offers.