| This psychologically engrossing
novel gives the reader a rare glimpse into the
inner lives of a widowed psychiatrist and his
bisexual patient, and into what each of them brings
to—and gains from—their relationship.
Author Fritz Klein has decades of experience as
a practicing psychiatrist and is recognized as
one of the world's leading authorities on bisexuality.
He brings his experience to bear as no lay author
could in Life, Sex, and the Pursuit of Happiness,
creating a remarkably detailed psychological portrait
of both therapist and client that will captivate
and enlighten anyone who has sat in a therapist's
office—on either side of the desk.
Life, Sex, and the Pursuit of Happiness
defies the mainstream media's stereotypical vilification
of bisexuals. In the character of Randy Gold,
Klein gives us a man who harbors no malice but
is saddled with an insatiable need for sex—a
constant craving that causes him great frustration
and endangers his marriage, his health, and his
work. Without psychological jargon, Dr. Klein
gently brings us deep inside this complex character
to discover his motivations, his emotions, and
the process by which he makes decisions that may
change the course of his life.
Life, Sex, and the Pursuit of Happiness
also delves deep into the personality of Randy's
psychiatrist. Paul Manes is a hypnotherapist,
though it wasn't his dream to become one. His
life has been turned inside out by a 180-degree
career change, by unexpected fatherhood, and by
the sudden illness and death of his young wife.
Now he has a thriving hypnotherapy practice specializing
in sexual disorders and a sterling reputation
that leads other professionals to ask for his
help on tough cases. His own sex life, however,
is less than satisfying. His body isn't as responsive
as he'd like and his sexual prowess is limited.
It often takes a special set of circumstances
for him to become aroused. When Paul begins therapy
with Randy, whose problem is that he is constantly
aroused, he learns more than he thought possible
about the nature of desire. And when Randy mentions
having slept with a woman who is a figure from
Paul's distant past, a new dimension is added
to the relationship between the two men.
In Life, Sex, and the Pursuit of Happiness,
Paul and Randy struggle—separately and together—to
make sense of their family conflicts, their sexuality,
and the unexpected turns their lives seem to continually
take. This is the story of two men opening themselves
to new sexual possibilities and learning to relax
and no longer be at odds with their own feelings.
Life, Sex, and the Pursuit of Happiness is that
rare literary work that informs as it entertains.
It will leave readers more knowledgeable about
the thought processes of therapists and their
clients and better informed about human sexual
behavior.
"Oh, my goodness. . . . A novel in which
the psychiatrist does NOT sleep with one of his
patients?? You've got to be kidding! But in this
sexy, surprising story you DO get hypnosis, Masters
& Johnson, a nymphomaniac, a guy who just
can't stop masturbating, and a lot of bagels.
Quite a trip!"
James D. Weinrich,
PhD, Author of Sexual Landscapes—Why We
Are What We Are, Why We Love Whom We Love
“Since the publication
of his book The Bisexual Option in the early 1990s,
Dr. Fritz Klein has been the dean of bisexuality
studies. With this book, he displays unexpected
talent as a novelist. Following the intersecting
careers of businessman Randy Gold and psychiatrist/actor
Dr. Paul Manes, Klein's novel does not simply
explore the complexities of sexual desire. It
gives a broad overview of the turbulent politics
and rampant promiscuity of the hectic 1960s through
the stable 1980s. BY THE END OF THIS EXHILARATING
READ, ONE FEELS ENLIGHTENED—NOT ONLY ABOUT
THE PSYCHE BUT ALSO ABOUT THE HUMAN SOUL.”
David Van Leer, Author
of The Queening of America: Gay Culture in Straight
Society
To Obtain a Copy of Life, Sex, and the Pursuit
of Happiness
You have two choices:
- You can go to your local bookstore. If it's
not in stock, have them order a copy. The ISBN
for the book is 1-56023-577-2
(paperback); the publisher is Harrington Park
Press, New York.
- You can order the book from Haworth
Press.
Thank you! |
