Audiobook Sample
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- Title: State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity
- Author: Esther Perel
- Narrator: Esther Perel
- Length: 11:58:00
- Version: Abridged
- Release Date: 10/10/2017
- Publisher: HarperAudio
- Genre: Non-Fiction, Health & Wellness, Marriage & Family, Psychology
- ISBN13: 9.78E+12
As someone who has spent decades analyzing human relationships through the dual lenses of literature and cultural studies, I approached Esther Perel’s “State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity” with both professional curiosity and personal trepidation. The audiobook experience, narrated by Perel herself, proved to be a revelation – a masterclass in psychological nuance that reminded me why I fell in love with cross-cultural narratives during my graduate studies at Harvard.
“The Cultural Lens of Desire”
What fascinates me most about Perel’s work is how she positions infidelity as a cultural text to be decoded, much like the Japanese novels I studied during my year in Tokyo. Her analysis transcends Western relationship paradigms, offering what I can only describe as a comparative literature approach to marriage. Listening to her dissect case studies from different countries, I was transported back to my seminar room at Berkeley where we debated how storytelling conventions vary across cultures. Perel’s global perspective gives this work remarkable depth – she doesn’t just tell us about affairs; she shows us how they function as narratives of longing in different societal contexts.
“Audio as Intimacy”
The decision to have Perel narrate her own work proves inspired. Her Belgian-accented English carries both clinical precision and deep empathy, creating an unusual intimacy that print cannot replicate. This reminded me of my experiments with audiobook formats during my Digital Humanities research – how the human voice can convey layers of meaning beyond the written word. When Perel describes a couple’s crisis, you hear the subtle pauses where a therapist might choose their words carefully. The audio format transforms what could be dry case studies into vivid psychological dramas.
“Literary Parallels”
Through a cultural lens, I found myself comparing Perel’s approach to the magical realism of Murakami’s “Kafka on the Shore” (which I read in both English and Japanese). Both works explore how humans navigate impossible desires, though Perel grounds her analysis in clinical reality rather than surrealism. Her chapter on ‘The Shadow of the Third’ particularly resonated with my research on triangulated desire in literature – that eternal human tendency to create psychological third parties, whether through affairs or fantasy.
“Structural Brilliance”
The audiobook’s structure mirrors the best academic writing I teach my students – clear thesis statements followed by evidentiary narratives, then synthesis. Perel moves seamlessly between personal stories (rendered with novelistic detail) and broader cultural analysis. Her discussion of how digital technology has transformed infidelity patterns particularly stood out, reminding me of my podcast episodes on how communication technologies reshape intimacy.
“Critical Perspective”
While profoundly insightful, the work occasionally suffers from the same limitation I find in many psychological texts – an over-reliance on clinical anecdotes at the expense of broader sociological data. As someone who values both qualitative and quantitative approaches, I wished for more demographic context around her case studies. Additionally, Perel’s therapeutic optimism, while refreshing, sometimes glosses over the irreversible damage certain betrayals can cause.
“Audio-Specific Strengths”
The audiobook format enhances Perel’s work in unexpected ways:
1. “Emotional Nuance”: You hear when Perel’s voice softens during painful revelations
2. “Conceptual Emphasis”: Her deliberate pacing highlights key theoretical points
3. “Authenticity”: The occasional ad-libbed aside makes complex ideas accessible
“For Potential Listeners”
This audiobook will particularly resonate with:
– Literature scholars interested in narrative psychology
– Therapists seeking cultural competency
– Partners navigating relationship challenges
– Anyone who appreciated the psychological depth of works like “The Course of Love” by Alain de Botton
“Final Analysis”
Much like my favorite literary works, “State of Affairs” rewards repeated listening. I’ve returned to certain chapters three times now, each time uncovering new insights about how culture shapes our most private moments. The audiobook format makes this revisiting particularly easy – I often listen while walking, finding that physical motion enhances engagement with Perel’s ideas.
With scholarly appreciation and human curiosity,
Prof. Emily Chen
