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Labor of Love
Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating | Moira Weigel
9 posts | 6 read | 17 to read
Does anyone date anymore? Today, the authorities tell us that courtship is in crisis. But when Moira Weigel dives into the history of sex and romance in modern America, she discovers that authorities have always said this. Ever since young men and women started to go out together, older generations have scolded them: Thats not the way to find true love. The first women who made dates with strangers were often arrested for prostitution; long before hookup culture, there were petting parties; before parents worried about cell phone apps, they fretted about joyrides and parking. Dating is always dying. But this does not mean that love is dead. It simply changes with the economy. Dating is, and always has been, tied to work. Lines like Ill pick you up at six made sense at a time when people had jobs that started and ended at fixed hours. But in an age of contract work and flextime, many of us have become sexual freelancers, more likely to text a partner u still up? Weaving together over one hundred years of history with scenes from the contemporary landscape, Labor of Love offers a fresh feminist perspective on how we came to date the ways we do. This isn't a guide to getting the guy. There are no ridiculous rules to follow. Instead, Weigel helps us understand how looking for love shapes who we areand hopefully leads us closer to the happy ending that dating promises.
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Megabooks
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Pickpick

Weigel looks at dating from its invention in the early 20th century to today. In each chapter, she explores a different facet of dating starting with its modern incarnation and then looking for historical perspectives. This lingered in my audible queue for a few years, and I‘m glad I rediscovered it this month! 💘

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saresmoore
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I had a nice, brisk #audiowalk with Jenny & Yanira today. You are both a joy to listen to, my friends!

ReadingEnvy ♥️🤗🦄 5y
Notafraidofwords This lifted my heart mostly because I get to imagine going on a walk with you. 5y
saresmoore @Notafraidofwords That‘s what it felt like! I love your insights and I think we would never run out of things to talk about. Plus, we‘re both a bit bull-headed. ♉️ 😁 5y
Notafraidofwords @saresmoore ha! Very much. I like to call it a gift. Everyone round me would call it a curse. 5y
Suet624 😍😍😍 5y
85 likes5 comments
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Notafraidofwords
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If you need a podcast to listen to @ReadingEnvy invited me on hers and I ranted for an hour long. And poor @ReadingEnvy put up with the monster that I am. Take a 👂 https://tinyurl.com/ReadingEnvy141

saresmoore You‘re the best and I can‘t wait to sneak away from my needy children and listen to this! 😘♥️ 5y
Notafraidofwords @saresmoore awww thank you. You‘re so sweet 💚😀💚💚 5y
Leftcoastzen Yay!Will check it out! Looking forward to what you have to say.😀 5y
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mreads It was a great episode 👍 and The Labor of Love cover is cute😀 5y
Notafraidofwords @mreads thank you so much !! 5y
Reggie Lololol I loved your rant on Villette. 5y
Notafraidofwords @Reggie I‘ve been nervous that people will hate me for it. 5y
BestDogDad This was a fun episode! I loved your rants! 5y
Notafraidofwords @BestDogDad yay. Love that. 5y
vivastory I can't wait to listen! 5y
62 likes10 comments
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Notafraidofwords
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Pickpick

I will start by saying that everyone should read this. This is a ultra layered nonfiction book about the invention of dating that covers points in American history that l love (the 20s, 50s and 60s). It moves towards present time. The ways in which capitalism reaches into the ways we connect or not connect with others is fascinating. We have capitalized feminism and love. This deconstruct it in a manageable way that feels both fresh and inclusive.

Notafraidofwords @saresmoore please please read this one. I think you‘ll love it. 5y
emtobiasz I found this one super fascinating 5y
Notafraidofwords @emtobiasz she touches on so many things. I loved it. 5y
saresmoore Ooh, sounds great! 5y
batsy I've been meaning to read this! Thanks for the reminder :) 5y
67 likes8 stack adds5 comments
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jesslovestype
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Some thematically festive reading for today. 💜💙💚💛 #happyvalentines

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SarahEvonne
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While old high school classmates are getting married, I'm sitting in bed reading about how dating is a recent social construct 👌

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emtobiasz
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Love me a good social history, especially ones that take the time to complicate our narratives of gender and sexuality.

11 likes3 stack adds
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Megabooks
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Yes, I would comparing dating to an unpaid internship! What do you think @ReadingMusing 🤔😉

Seonjoon I have to laugh, if only because, through an unplanned series of unusual and wonderful events, my fiancé and I managed to completely avoid dating. We listen to our friends' stories of dating and shiver. A waste of material and emotional resources indeed, for some! 8y
mllemay Bahaha! Love it! Indeed what a time/energy suck and it seems to be getting increasingly unpleasant - at least for an introvert like me 😬 8y
Riveted_Reader_Melissa @mllemay Exactly! Dating, blind dating, Internet dating are all very unpleasant for introverts. 8y
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ReadingMusing @Ebooksandcooks 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 100% the truth -- it's saps my energy every time! 😂 8y
Sue Yes!!! 8y
Megabooks @mllemay @Riveted_Reader_Melissa @ReadingMusing Introverts unite!!! Early dates are so darn hard! And @Seonjoon You are so lucky! 😃👍🏻 8y
42 likes6 comments
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MadMaxine
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Just got this as an arc after reading the phenomenal #longread in the Guardian this week! #fridayreads #weekendreads

1 like1 stack add