Love between man and woman: is it sacred or sinful? A Rhapsody of Love and Spirituality explores Platonic eros, Christian mysticism, friendship, religious ritual, and love as people experience it, turning up startling ironies and paradoxes and, along the way, some traditions we may find worth reclaiming.

How can different models of romance all be so compelling? This survey and comparative analysis of the literary and artistic references that underlie and inspire our notions of love and romance will be useful in college courses on Western Civilization, and is accessible to the educated general public interested in the spiritual ramifications of love, how to live and love well.