• Mating in Captivity

  • Reconciling the Erotic & the Domestic
  • By: Esther Perel
  • Narrated by: Esther Perel
  • Length: 8 hrs and 8 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (9,872 ratings)

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Mating in Captivity  By  cover art

Mating in Captivity

By: Esther Perel
Narrated by: Esther Perel
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Publisher's summary

Esther Perel takes on tough questions, grappling with the obstacles and anxieties that arise when our quest for secure love conflicts with our pursuit of passion. She invites us to explore the paradoxical union of domesticity and sexual desire, and explains what it takes to bring lust home.

In her 20 years of clinical experience, Perel has treated hundreds of couples whose home lives are empty of passion. They describe relationships that are open and loving, yet sexually dull. What is going on?

In this explosively original book, Perel explains that our cultural penchant for equality, togetherness, and absolute candor is antithetical to erotic desire for both men and women. Sexual excitement doesn't always play by the rules of good citizenship. It is politically incorrect. It thrives on power plays, unfair advantages, and the space between self and other. More exciting, playful, even poetic sex is possible, but first we must kick egalitarian ideals and emotional housekeeping out of our bedrooms.

While Mating in Captivity shows why the domestic realm can feel like a cage, Perel's take on bedroom dynamics promises to liberate, enchant, and provoke. Flinging the doors open on erotic life and domesticity, she invites us to put the "X" back in sex.

©2006 Esther Perel (P)2006 HarperCollins Publishers
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Categories: Erotica

Critic reviews

"As revelatory as it is straightforward....Perel sanctions fantasy and play and offers the estranged modern couple a unique richness of experience." (Publishers Weekly)

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What listeners say about Mating in Captivity

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Slices of life

This book is a litany of filler story after filler story of couples not having sex, with no solution offered whatsoever. Her reading is really bad, and her accent is distracting from the content.

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41 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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Useless

This literally just talks about cases with patients the author has handled. No practical detailed advice or suggestions.

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23 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Ignore the naysaying. The book is fantastic.

Do you want committed, connected love to stay hot? Do you think it’s impossible, but wish it weren’t? Haven’t you seen the rare couples for whom it is true? Listen to the book. Ester Perel is a jewel with a very good point.

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18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Illuminating...

Fascinating review of contemporary sexuality and its evolution in our society. How do couples navigate the winding road of eroticism in the flesh and in the mind?

Sad to hear so many couples are living without great sex in their relationships. Sadder still to hear that many couples believe such an outcome is a natural part of coupling and marriage.

Dr. Perel challenges some of the established thoughts about pleasure, excitement and eroticism shared between couples in committed relationships.

An illuminating read...

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17 people found this helpful

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You can't love without honesty ...to yourslef

...and of course to whom you love. You cannot disregard eroticism in order to take car of love. The secret is you can have a fullfiling erotic and love life even in the long term. Just mind there is no one size fits all solution. In this book guided by Esther's experience, wisdom and down to earth warm tone she shares her observations on various couples there strugle, gulit or abandonment of their erotic life and theirselves and in each case how to reclaim it all back. One of my favorite audibles to date.

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11 people found this helpful

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Horrible Narrator

there is probably some wonderful information here but I couldn't get past the first 10 minutes. You have to put all your energy and attention toward just understanding the words and you dont really get to listen to the advice.

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11 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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Every adult should listen to this one!

There are so many ways to be happily married AND happy sexually, and in this book Esther Perel lays them open for examination. It's about as far from a one-size-fits-all approach as you can get. and it treats everyone's preferences with respect. I deeply appreciate this book.

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10 people found this helpful

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Enlightening and self-affirming

I just turned 30 and am about to get married in a couple of months. This book was an absolute gift. Contrary to the negative reviewers, I believe Esther’s intention is not to suggest a correct way to think about sexuality and marriage (and she is CERTAINLY not suggesting infidelity is right for every couple - ridiculous you could get that out of this book) but rather to be open to the idea that our traditional ideas are limiting and may not be right for every couple. She’s not advocating one right way, but rather trying to open our minds to the myriad of ways we can have happy and fulfilled marriages. To me this book was about the ultimate way to be loving to both ourselves and our partners - being HONEST. At its best it can transform your relationship, at the least it will make you feel less alone. Absolutely brilliant.

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7 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars

Nice title and bio, but not as fun to listen to

I haven't finished it yet, and it's been several months since I've had it. The books I'm into get completed in less than 2 weeks.

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6 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Hard to listen to her

I found it really difficult to understand her and to listen to the author read this book. This is one of the few books I have never finished.

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4 people found this helpful