Truisme despre dragoste și nimic mai mult! Dragostea este ceva ce este cunoscut de toată lumea. Este o senzație puternică, care poate face pe o persoană să se simtă fericită și să creadă că poate face orice. Cu toate acestea, există multe adevăruri despre dragoste care sunt cunoscute încă de mult timp și care sunt adevărate pentru fiecare dintre noi.

Una dintre adevărurile despre dragoste este că aceasta nu înseamnă întotdeauna că lucrurile vor merge întotdeauna bine. În orice relație există probleme și conflicte, dar ceea ce contează este cum le rezolvăm. Dragostea presupune să fim capabili să negociem și să găsim compromisuri pentru a face ca relația să funcționeze.

Alta adevăruri despre dragoste este că aceasta poate veni din locuri neasteptate. Nu întotdeauna întâlnim iubirea noastră în mod tradițional, printr-un prieten comun sau într-un bar. Uneori, dragostea poate veni din partea unui coleg de muncă, unui vecin sau chiar într-un moment în care nu ne așteptăm.

În cele din urmă, adevărurile despre dragoste ne spun că aceasta este o experiență unică și că trebuie să o apreciem cât mai mult posibil. Dragostea poate face din viața noastră ceva extraordinar și trebuie să fim pregătiți să o întâmpinăm când vine.

4.5 stars

Wow. It's truly hard to know where to begin when it comes to expressing my thoughts about this remarkable book.

I have not been so completely captivated by a book in an incredibly long time.

The Double Flame is essentially a profound literary analysis that delves into the themes of love, sex, and eroticism present not only in novels and poetry but also in religion, politics, and culture throughout history. It begins in Ancient Greece and Rome and ends in the "modern" day of 1993.

While at times it can be quite academic in nature, Paz, being a notable poet himself, filters his analysis through the unique lens that only a poet can offer. He injects passages of his own thoughts in rather poetic prose that are often deeply moving and highly quotable. One such passage in the very first chapter is, "The relationship between eroticism and poetry is such that it can be said, without affectation, that the former is a poetry of the body, and the latter an eroticism of language". This statement truly gives me chills.

Perhaps another dimension that made his writing style and thought speak to me even more is the fact that I am myself an amateur poet and have been my whole life.

Although 90% of the literary works he references are things I've never read (and some I've never even heard of, which is actually quite awesome as now I have a list of historical novelists and poets that I am extremely interested in reading more of), he presents excerpts to illustrate his thesis. So, you don't really have to be familiar with the works to follow what he is positing.

As a queer reader, I was greatly encouraged that his writing did not center around heteronormative defaults. Quite the opposite, in fact. He points out multiple instances in history where homosexuality begins to emerge in the literary canon, and he states that our modern, democratic idea and reality of love is only possible through the social and political freedoms of women and LGBTQ people. And while he does make references to men and women where necessary, in his more generalized commentary he eschews pronouns and mostly refers to "lovers" and "the lover, and their beloved". I found this to be so refreshingly accessible. It really made it much easier to imagine myself and my own relationships in his writing, and helped me more easily turn the pages.

On that note, however, one passage that did trouble me - though I'm not sure if I would go so far as to say it offended me - was his painfully brief and reductive reference to the AIDS epidemic. As we get into the chapter "The City Square and the Bedroom", we are starting to enter the more modern world at the end of the Cold War, and the peak of the aforementioned epidemic. I was five years old in 1993, so granted, I do not have a conscious memory of the zeitgeist of the time. But it is still the part of the book where the reader, if old enough, will start to have their own analyses and interpretations of what he describes. Especially since his remarks about capitalism and the cheap consumerism of sex and love are still relevant themes and topics of debate today. (In a way, reading this makes me realize that things have both drastically changed and not at all in 30 years).

Throughout the book, it is evident that Paz filters his thoughts through a monogamous worldview, and there's nothing wrong with that. But reading this in 2022, it just strikes me as somewhat dated. Likewise, his discussion of the AIDS crisis has aged poorly. Although to his credit, perhaps that is to be expected. (He writes, "I do not know if science will soon find a vaccine for AIDS. I hope so." Ohhh, buddy, me too. Me too.) He discusses that the only tool available at the time to fight the spread of HIV - the condom - was inadequate by itself, and he then hypothesizes a potential supplemental tool through a lens of detached epidemiology - sexual restraint, based on a cold statistical calculation of the number of sexual partners correlating to the risk of catching HIV. His primary concern there is "promiscuity", and that "love is the best defense against AIDS - that is to say, against promiscuity". Living in the new normal of the COVID pandemic and society-wide quarantines, I on some level understand why someone might prescribe this sort of social (sexual?) distancing concept, especially in a time like 1993 when AIDS was perhaps at its peak level of terror, with viable treatments and prophylactics still a few years away.

But to say that monogamous love is the antidote to AIDS - or furthermore, that AIDS and non-monogamy are inextricable from each other - just strikes me as inaccurate and a woeful lost opportunity on his part to really take a deeper dive analysis. "Promiscuity" has often been a harmful queer stereotype, especially of gay/bi men who were and are disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS. And perhaps this passage is then just a product of its time. That being said, non-monogamy has also long been de-stigmatized by queer culture. Sexual liberation to us, after centuries of repression, has been both a way of life and a cultural and political statement, especially in the later half of the 20th century when LGBTQ people in the west began to have more social freedom than ever before. And not to ignore the epidemiological aspect, but I do see the AIDS epidemic as a tragically unfortunate coincidence, rather than a cause and effect, with that movement of sexual liberation. And it certainly did not occur because of an absence of love. Did the men who lost their partners to this cruel disease not love them? If this is a treatise on the importance of love, why not further explore the beautiful example that is queer love? Thus, this passage comes off as simplistic, short-sighted, and even victim-blame-y. But to be clear, I hold no illusion that he made this statement with homophobic intentions. I am simply disappointed that a man who clearly had such a deep and analytical intellect, as evidenced by my spending the previous 200 pages becoming acquainted with it, did not flesh out his analysis into a more nuanced conclusion.

All that said, this book still reads very much like an academic thesis paper. He has put forward a thesis and is using examples and analysis to defend his thesis, but I never got the impression that he thought he had all the answers or that his opinions were fact. Rather than just reading what he was putting down, I felt like I was having a debate with him while reading it - and perhaps one he encouraged. His writing to me seemed to have the intention of being thought provoking to the reader, rather than prescriptive. I regularly had to put this book down, not because it bored me, but because it provoked so many thoughts and insights and wild philosophical tangents, some lasting hours. I cannot express how much I love a book that is written not as a product for consumption, or a writer telling a reader what to think, but as an invitation to dialogue. I could totally imagine chilling with this guy on a university campus somewhere and having respectful, civil debates lasting hours, like true black holes of conversation into the very depths of the human condition. That's what I already felt like I was doing. And it was wonderful.

I will definitely be reading more of his works.

Small disclaimer that I read the English translation - maybe someday my Spanish will be good enough!

It took me a second attempt before I finally finished reading the book. I think it had less to do with the quality of the book than with myself. Written in very vivid and lyrical English, it was not easy for me to understand. And my dictionary faithfully adhered to the "Double Flame" - thank God without burning. This late work of the Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Octavio Paz also requires the willingness to subject the concept of "love" to an unromantic reflection and to admit that its forms and expressions can change in different historical epochs. In this regard, although not psychologically pointed, this book encourages an engagement with one's own ability to love, and the reader asks the question about its social conditioning.

'The Double Flame' is an important book, one that I would gladly read twice and more often. It makes us think deeply about the complex nature of love and how it has evolved over time. The author's use of beautiful language adds another layer of depth to the exploration. It's a book that challenges our preconceived notions and forces us to look at love from a new perspective. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in understanding the true meaning of love.

Hermoso libro de Octavio Paz,

El amor es una llama doble;

La llama roja es la de la pasión y el erotismo,

Mientras que la llama azul es la del amor.

Este libro presenta una visión única y profunda del amor.

Octavio Paz describe cómo la pasión y el erotismo, representados por la llama roja, pueden arder con intensidad.

Pero también destaca la importancia de la llama azul, que simboliza el amor más puro y profundo.

El amor, según Paz, es una combinación de ambas llamas.

Es la pasión que da calor y energía al amor, pero también es el amor que da sentido y durabilidad a la pasión.

Este libro es una invitación a reflexionar sobre el amor y a descubrir sus múltiples facetas.

Es un libro que puede tocar el corazón y abrir la mente de aquellos que lo lean.

Reading this book served as a stark reminder of the reason why I seldom indulge in reading prose essays for pure enjoyment. I found myself rather exasperated by the repetitive and circuitous verbosity of the writing style. In this particular volume, the Nobel-winning poet Paz delves into three concepts that are frequently muddled in the public's perception: sex, eroticism, and love.

According to Paz, while numerous species of animals engage in sex, human beings stand alone as the only species that practices eroticism. This is attributed to the fact that we are the sole species endowed with imagination. Paz defines eroticism as sex that, through the agency of imagination, has been steered away from the mundane objective of procreation. In a similar vein, poetry is regarded as language that, through the intervention of imagination, has been diverted from the ordinary goal of communication.

Love, on the other hand, differs from run-of-the-mill eroticism in that it is specifically concerned with the uniqueness and irreplaceability of the beloved. Instead of perceiving the "Other" as a mere object to be possessed, love views the "Other" as a fellow subject with whom a dialogue can be established. Paz contends that we are currently living in a twilight age as the concept of the human person as a unique and irreplaceable entity is gradually becoming obsolete.

He places the blame for such modern atrocities as totalitarian governments, genocides, widespread sexual trafficking, and the enormity of the AIDS epidemic on the obsolescence of this concept. Additionally, he argues that, in an era as secular as ours, a resurgence of the concept of romantic love might be the only feasible remedy. Although I'm not entirely convinced by his arguments, it is undeniable that they are firmly rooted in rigorous, level-headed, and cosmopolitan thinking that draws upon a vast array of sources, ranging from the theories of modern physics to the literature of ancient Japan.

Moreover, the ideas presented in this book are thrillingly original as they encompass a comprehensive worldview that places the idea of romantic love at its very core.

Octavio, my dear, you are like a poet, great among the great.

Your essay is an elegiac prose. However, you speak of Amor and Psyche, the most ancient story in the world, giving soul to it.

I fear that philology has been torn from you, which in Homeric psychè divided life. And so the error still continues: this story among stories that knows no limits of space, and changes names while maintaining the sense, becomes the song of the high - the supernal soul - over the low, the physical attraction.

No longer the encounter with the unknown and the trustful abandonment, but still and always the division of body and mind, where the first, if not base, is at least a pondus to be contrasted.

Steeped in Platonic ideas, you deliver this booklet to us, fertile with reflections on the motor of the world. And we, happy and deceived, applaud the excellent essayist.

The Double Flame is an extraordinary book that has the power to not only stir your emotions but also stimulate your mind.

It's difficult to determine precisely how many questions this book manages to answer. However, its true worth lies in the thought-provoking questions it poses.

It takes you on a journey that makes you reflect on the complex nature of love and relationships.

This book is highly recommended for everyone who has ever experienced the joys and sorrows of love, whether they are in love currently or have been in the past.

It offers unique perspectives and insights that can enhance your understanding of love and help you grow both personally and emotionally.

Pick up The Double Flame and embark on a transformative reading experience that will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the beauty and mystery of love.

Sex is the root, eroticism the stem, and love the flower. And the fruit? The fruits of love are intangible. This is one of love’s mysteries.

Sex is the root, eroticism the stem, and love the flower. And the fruit? The fruits of love are intangible. This is one of love’s mysteries.

Paz is poetic, philosophic, and knowledgeable in this overview of literary and historical ideas on love and eroticism. He peruses ideas spanning millennia, from Plato’s Symposium to Marvin Minsky’s Society of Mind.

Human love is the union of two beings subject to time and its accidents: change, sickness, death. Although it does not save us from time, it opens it a crack, so that in a flash love’s contradictory nature is manifest: that vivacity which endlessly destroys itself and is reborn, which is always both now and never. Therefore all love, even the most blissful, is tragic.

I would recommend reading The Double Flame together with Anne Carson’s Eros the Bittersweet, for its complementary analysis of love-eroticism as both binding and separating. Also, Albert Camus’s The Myth of Sisyphus is a great addition. It offers a complementary analysis of the absurd, from which love often borrows its most tragic elements.

The absurd is born of this confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world.

Love is, at once, a profound consciousness of death and a valiant attempt to transform the fleeting instant into an eternal moment.

All loves seem to be fated with misfortune, for they are constructed from the fabric of time. They are the delicate bonds that connect two temporal beings who are acutely aware of their inevitable mortality.

Yet, despite all the hardships and misfortunes that love may bring, we persistently strive to love and be loved. Love is, indeed, the closest approximation on this earth to the blessed state of beatitude.

We are, in essence, the stage upon which the embrace and dissolution of opposites occur, resolved into a single harmonious note that is neither a simple affirmation nor a negation, but rather an acceptance.

This beautifully rich and profound prose offers a captivating meditation on the significance of love in human history. While the second-to-last chapter does deviate from the main topic of discussion, it does not overshadow the overall excellence of the book. Reading Octavio Paz is always a delight, as his prose is interwoven with the lucidity of his poetry.

Couldn't finish.

Honestly, his arguments about love are rather vague at best and extremely flimsy at worst.

Certainly, he doesn't take into account aspects such as sexuality or polyamory.

It seems that his understanding of love is quite limited and one-sided.

On the other hand, his best parts lie in synthesizing historical views on love and the erotic.

He manages to bring together different perspectives from the past, which is somewhat interesting.

However, when it comes to making his own sound arguments, he falls short.

He fails to present a coherent and convincing case for his own ideas about love.

Overall, while there are some redeeming qualities in his work, it ultimately leaves a lot to be desired.

Recommended by heard on podcast Esther Peter mentioned.

Esther Peter's podcast is truly a gem. She has a unique way of presenting information that keeps the listeners engaged from start to finish. The topics she covers are diverse and thought-provoking, ranging from personal development to current affairs.

One of the things that sets her podcast apart is her ability to interview a wide variety of guests. She has conversations with experts in different fields, giving the listeners access to a wealth of knowledge and perspectives.

Another great aspect of her podcast is the quality of the production. The sound is clear, and the editing is seamless. This makes it a pleasure to listen to, whether you're on a commute or working out at the gym.

Overall, I highly recommend Esther Peter's podcast to anyone looking for an interesting and informative listen. It's a great way to expand your knowledge and gain new insights into the world around you.

In my opinion, I am a bit green when it comes to historical, philosophical, and poetic knowledge, which limits me a little in giving a more extensive answer.

This book addresses and reflects on the dilemma that is love. It is very specific and direct. The way Octavio writes is very clear and manages to quickly capture my attention with his reflections.

It is a great book, a wonderful book, and it could only be conceived by someone with the caliber of our Mexican Nobel laureate.

Octavio's insights into love are profound and thought-provoking. He explores the various aspects and complications of love, making the reader think deeply about this universal emotion.

The book is not only a literary masterpiece but also a source of inspiration and self-reflection. It encourages us to look at love from different perspectives and to understand its true nature.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in exploring the theme of love and wants to gain a deeper understanding of this complex and beautiful emotion.