Love in the Western World,
Princeton University Press,
ISBN 0691013934
The one book that has had a greater influence on our ideas of love in the West than any other book is the brilliant Love in the Western Worldby Denis de Rougemont. De Rougemont (1906-1985) was one of the most influential European intellectuals of his generation. His book came out first in 1939 and then was revised several times with the 1972 edition being the definitive final edition. This book simply changed the way people thought about Western cultural history. It was of extraordinary importance and is still the beginning point for any study of the unique phenomenon of love in the Western world.