Love in the Time of Recession

Comments (0) By Sebastian del Mármol Thursday, Mar 24 2011

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In polite society, love and economics make uneasy bedfellows. Talk of transactions, efficiency, and resources doesn’t usually accompany the whispering of sweet-nothings in your mate’s ears. But maybe it should. After all, supply and demand always plays a role in any initial merger or coupling. Doesn’t it stand to reason that relationships could benefit from some sound economic advice? The Wall Street Journal’s Paula Szuchman and the New York Times’ Jenny Anderson think so. Their book, Spousonomics, is like a sound business plan for a healthy relationship or bottom line. The authors equate a relationship to a small economy — a business of two with a limited number of resources that need to be used efficiently (can you feel the romance?). They apply tried and true economic principles to things like who should be doing the dishes, who should be paying the bills, and who should be on diaper duty at 4 a.m. It’s all very Greenspanian. But don’t think that means it’s boring. After all, Alan Greenspan is a hunk. The book also tells you how to keep your sex life hot by making it affordable and why “letting yourself go” will eventually lead to relationship bankruptcy. That one should be fairly obvious. Szuchman and Anderson will be at Books & Books.
Thu., March 31, 8 p.m., 2011