THE YOUNG PERSON'S GUIDE TO LOVE

Hunt, who also wrote The Natural History of Love, digs into his store of historical and literary analogies to show how differently other ages and cultures have answered the question ""what is this thing called love?"" Yet when it comes to Hunt's own definition of ""up-to-date love"" he is gently but firmly prescriptive. Although willing to take a relativistic attitude towards homosexuality, approving egalitarianism, and accepting (though only to a degree) the new sexual freedom, Hunt directs his readers to a model that is both sexually and emotionally ""exclusive."" And he is quite discouraging about odd couples of any sort; jumping religious, ethnic, class and educational barriers may not be ""wrong"" but he sure doesn't advise it. Youngsters who don't fit into Hunt's niche of ""normality"" (which really, and quite deafly, is used to mean socially acceptable and/or average here)might not fred his caution and restraint too useful. However, his horse-sensical, moderately conservative views are neither judgmental nor tendentious. Hunt may not be nearly so non-directive as he pretends to be, many will agree with his stance and his tone is that of the easygoing popularizer.