Unrequited

<p><strong>Blending memoir literary exposition and revealing case studies <em>Unrequited</em> is a powerful surprising and empathetic cultural and psychological exploration of one-sided romantic obsession.</strong></p><p>The summer Lisa A. Phillips turned thirty she fell in love with someone who didn't return her feelings. She soon became obsessed. She followed him around called him compulsively and talked about him endlessly. One desperate morning after she snuck into his apartment building he picked up a baseball bat to protect himself and began to dial 911. Her unrequited love had changed her from a sane conscientious college teacher and radio reporter into someone she barely recognized--someone who was taking her yearning much too far.</p><p>In <em>Unrequited</em> Phillips explores the tremendous force of obsessive love in women's lives. She argues that it needs to be understood respected and channeled for personal growth--yet it also has the potential to go terribly awry. Interweaving her own story with frank interviews and in-depth research in science psychology cultural history and literature Phillips describes how romantic obsession takes root grows and strongly influences our thoughts and behaviors.</p><p>Going beyond images of creepy fatally attracted psychos male fantasies of unbridled female desire and the platitudes of self-help books Phillips reveals a powerful troubling and surprisingly common phenomenon. As she illuminates this mysterious psychological experience placing it in a rich and nuanced context she offers compelling insights to help any woman who has experienced unrequited obsessive love and been mystified and troubled by its grip.</p>