Sounds like a great book, and not a minute too soon, judging by many of the letters from readers, since Salon implemented this comments feature. Broudway's explanation (in the interview, since I haven't read the book yet) of the different ways that men and women express love makes sense, but usually people have to learn it the hard way. My mother did, and it was too late. So did I, but it wasn't too late. Thanks for posting this article now.

I have an upside-down (or inside-out) theory of what makes men and women tick in their relationships: that it's really men who want intimacy and women who want sex (at least early on, before kids). On the surface, we've accepted the opposite stereotypes, but underneath, I think there's a different story. And Culture mediates these differences, in order to maintain some semblance of stability.

Women may have a slight hormonal advantage when it comes to bonding, both during sex, as well as during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but men just need more time. From my own (less scientific) observations, they seem to bond in the process of doing things for the other. And the more they invest of themselves, the more they care.

Perhaps there really is a simple biological reason for what our mothers and grandmothers said, both about sleeping with a man too soon-- for your own good-- and about not letting him do too much for you, or buy you anything too expensive too soon-- for his own good-- although that's not the way they put it.

*****

There is a wide gap between a woman wanting to talk about her feelings about something and a man wanting discuss the problem and try to come up with a solution... and seldom the twain meet.

And, more likely, it will be men who are no longer needed for reproduction, but that is not necessarily to women's advantage.

My initial response to the new letters feature was favorable... until I read a few too many of the letters one night, but it has been an interesting experience.

Still, I look forward to the effects of the slight changes, especially because it was impossible to keep track of an unknown number of anonymouses, while trying to keep up with a lengthy discussion. Nor will I miss the letters that won't be written because the writer didn't want to sign them.

And, I must take exception with the derogaory comments about blogs and their comments. [Yes, I have a blog.] Unfortunately, Salon's blogs are no longer very easy to find, but they are still here, in spite of complaints about the software. And a uniquely diverse bunch they are. Well-written, insightful, satirical, and often funny. Hardly a careless or self-absorbed post among them, and the comments are generally civilized, too.