Esther Perel’s "Mating in Captivity" argues that domesticity and sexual desire are paradoxical, and presents strategies for integrating lust into long-term relationships. Drawing on twenty years of clinical experience, Perel examines the complexities of sustaining desire by exploring how exciting, playful, and poetic sex is achievable within committed partnerships. The book aims to reconcile the erotic and the domestic, offering insights into modern relationships.
The central argument is that intimacy and eroticism are often at odds, and Perel provides a "bold, provocative new take on sexuality" to address this paradox. Readers learn what it takes to bring lust home by understanding the dynamics between domesticity and desire. The book reveals proven strategies for nurturing sexual vitality in relationships.
Key concepts
- Erotic Intelligence — A concept exploring a provocative new take on sexuality and its relationship to intimacy.
- Domesticity and sexual desire — The paradoxical union between the comforts of home life and the presence of lust.
- Sustaining desire — The complexities and challenges of maintaining sexual passion in long-term relationships.