All About Love: New Visions
Professor and author bell hooks, born in Kentucky and educated in southern California has created a simple piece of literature about a complex and universal topic that many can relate to but also learn from. Love is a complicated emotion. What is love, really? Hooks dives deeply into the topic of love with insight that so many in the current culture are hungry to learn about.
What is Love?
Author Bell Hooks gives us a non-academic, though personally profound look into this universal and ageless question in her book, ‘All About Love: New Visions’. One can assimilate Hooks’ analysis of love to Scott M. Peck’s view of life: “Life is difficult” as Peck says…
Hooks was born in Kentucky into a working-class family. This now prolific African-American feminist author has written her work of literature, ‘All About Love: New Visions’ which shows how all people can love one another. Either simply or intricately. Hooks, coming from a working-class family can love just as those who are born affluent and enriched with wealth can love. hooks helps readers look at their current, culturally defined view of love. The book allows readers to look internally at their own belief of what love really is. Readers gain perspective about what love, as an emotion, really is.
People are all capable of love. Hooks’ view on love, coming from a near impoverished background, outlines that love is an emotion for everyone, not just for the financially advantaged. Love is an emotion all people can attain.
Hooks’ matter-of-fact perspective on love is similar to Peck’s view of life. Hooks shows us ways to view love. She is culturally aware and gives intellectual insight for readers to embrace love. Whether you have or have not read Peck’s book, ‘The Road Less Traveled’, readers will come away with an acceptance of love and life.
Venture with Hooks into her perspective on love in her value-filled chapters about what love is. This book will allow you to review your own thoughts on what love is while giving you cultural awareness on what society allows us to accept as what we are taught to believe love is.
Olivia Clarke –
This is a book to read with a highlighter nearby. Some sentences are so profound and true to life that you want to make sure to remember them. bell hooks takes the complex element of love and breaks it down in a way that is so clear and simple.
Daniel Evans –
I think this book should be required reading for life. bell hooks takes a critical look at the way love exists in out lives and our culture. And she is so spot on! She is revered in the academic community and you will find yourself recognizing things that you never thought to question.
But over all, just saying this is a good book to keep around and read every decade or sooner.
Isabel –
I began reading for my book club and immediately took notes on various ideas about love. What is it exactly? Why does it seem to elude some and not others? Hooks presents numerous ideas and valid contradictions in what people view as love. I have a new understanding about myself, relationships (platonic, familial, and romantic), as well as life. Totally unexpected, but welcome and necessary.
Ethan B. –
Required reading for anyone that wants to have a practical working definition of the word Love, minus the conditioned version we are accustomed.
Frank kingsy –
I really love the book can I get a chapter by chapter discussion giuld.
Amelia Parker –
Alright, let’s delve into this. This book has been a game-changer for me. It found its way into my life at the perfect time when I was house-sitting, and has since deeply resonated with me. hooks is in the transformative business, whether it’s guiding us on how to love in a loveless world, or instructing us to identify, confront, and eradicate the systemic racism and sexism that permeate our lives. What truly impacted me in “All About Love” was the candidness – speaking the truth to foster genuine, loving relationships. Boy, was that a lesson I wasn’t prepared for until now, but I am completely immersed in it at present.
However, the book is not flawless, and it’s important to acknowledge that. It heavily references God, so if you’re not religious, keep that in mind. bell harbors a deep love for God. Additionally, the book exhibits significant gender-essentialism. I agree that men are often discouraged from expressing their emotional needs and desire for love, compared to women. But the absence of any mention of genderqueer identities is noticeable. What about those who don’t identify strictly as male or female?
Here’s a summary of my takeaways from this amazing book:
It’s far easier in today’s society to discuss the lack of love than its existence or, notably, the quest for it.
Love consists of, but is not confined to: commitment, affection, recognition, respect, trust, and communication.
Cathexis: investing in another person to the point that they become significant to us. Often mistaken for love, as in “I can’t leave her. We’ve shared so much.”
Love: the desire to selflessly nurture our own or another’s spiritual growth.
Love and abuse are mutually exclusive. We often rationalize abusive behavior in the name of love, rather than confronting the harsh reality that we might be in an abusive relationship, or even that we’ve never actually experienced genuine love.
Dissimulation: adopting whatever façade is necessary to manipulate a situation. This is a hurdle to honest communication in love.
Prescribed patriarchal masculinity demands active denial of the longing for love, highlighting the toxicity of patriarchy.
Secrecy versus privacy: a struggle between power and dishonesty versus emotional space and autonomy.
A loving ethic might encompass: working for individuals you admire and respect; dedicating everything to our relationships; recognizing our lives and destinies are interwoven with those of others globally.
Prioritize love. Earn money, because it’s necessary. But devote everything to love.
Love isn’t exclusive to romantic relationships. It’s an ethic, a readiness, openness, and willingness to work through challenges. Commitment and behavior may adapt to specific situations, but love is a universal constant.
Women are generally allowed more socially acceptable space to search for and talk about love, but it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re better at expressing love than men.
Love is an act of will, not merely a powerful emotion. This explains why we promise to love someone forever – we can’t promise feelings, but we can commit to the readiness to work, to nurture love daily.
True love is unconditional. But this doesn’t excuse mistakes.
You can’t change someone, but both parties can agree to be transformed by the experience of being together.
Rather than “falling in love,” interpret the elusive ‘spark’ as a sign saying: “Love might be possible here, if you’re willing to take risks and get your hands dirty…”