If you think dating is a simple process--meet someone, ask him or her for a date or get asked out yourself, try not to come off as a drooling moron, then arrange to get together for a second date or cut your losses and work to meet someone else--well, lucky you. For many people, it's far more complicated than that, and Dr. Joy Browne addresses those complexities in Dating for Dummies. Exactly how do you meet a potential date? How do you present yourself in the most favorable light? How do you negotiate that first date? (One interesting story Browne tells is of a couple who negotiated a weekend together, deciding whether or not they'd have sex, and under what conditions they'd consider marriage and children--all before their first date.) And how do you proceed from there? The process still comes down to chemistry, but Browne shows how many ways there are to make sure you get your best possible chance with Mr./Ms. Right.


From Library Journal
While you wouldn't want to be caught dead reading either of these titles on the subway, they offer a study in contrasts. Baber and Spitznagel seem to have set out to produce a humorous look at dating and mating, but they deliver a boorish effort that will confirm a lot of women's worst fears about male dating behavior. While some might think that the "humor book" caveat makes everything okay, the overall Beavis-and-Butthead approach to the subject?which is, less dating and more sex in these authors' minds?provides little in the laughs department. Men and women should avoid this book like a blind date with a cold sore, and libraries can pass. By contrast and in keeping with the excellent "For Dummies" treatment of complicated subjects, psychologist Browne's book offers a professional, insightful, and very readable examination of dating?real dating. Browne covers every aspect of the basic mechanics of dating in the 1990s, from making your own personal inventory to help you discover who you are and what you want, to finding appropriate people to date, to actually conducting dates at various stages of relationship development. Nothing seems to be missed by Browne: she tackles breaking up, sex, and even the darker sides of dating, like rape and stalking. This excellent book's biggest drawback for libraries is its numerous "work form" sections, an invitation to certain patrons to make it their own. But Dating for Dummies is worth the risk; recommended for all public libraries.?David M. Turkalo, Suffolk Univ. Law Sch. Lib, BostonCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
Dating can be great or it can be the absolute pits, whether you're 17 or 70. The basic story of dating hasn't changed in thousands of years – boy meets girl and they make a connection. So why such sweaty palms if the dating game is so old? No, it’s not because you’re the nerd of the universe and everyone else is way cooler than you are. It’s because the rules have all changed. On top of that, dating can feel really scary because it has to do with big-ticket items: the opposite sex and rejection. Yikes!

Dating For Dummies is your guide to the dating scene if you have never dated, have rarely dated, or if you've experienced a life change and want to start dating again. Whether you're a teenager, young adult, divorced, widowed, or an older adult, this useful reference can help you meet, date, and start a relationship with the person of your dreams.

Discover ways to increase your confidence, polish your social skills, figure out what you want, and find out where the best places are to meet your future mate. Full of essential tips and dating wisdom, Dating For Dummies covers everything a single person in search of a date should know, including Selecting the right place for your first date Finding the best places to meet people Knowing how to protect yourself and understanding the myths and facts about date rape Ditching your date (politely) and exiting with style Finding dating tips for single parents, seniors, or those involved in office romances and long-distance relationships Knowing when not to date Meeting your online date, blind date, or personal-ad date Surviving a break-up and waiting out the rebound period Realizing that you are in love

With a little help from Dating For Dummies, discover how to turn what could be a disastrous date into a good time (and a fabulous relationship). Author Dr. Joy Browne – licensed clinical psychologist, best-selling author, and award-winning radio talk show host – guides you through it all.


From the Back Cover
"Can we talk about Dating For Dummies? It is a must read!" Joan Rivers Praise for Dr. Joy Browne and Dating For Dummies® "Her instincts are good enough to have made her one of radio's best-known psychologists." — New York Daily News "Dating For Dummies®takes one of the most complicated, anxiety-filled social rituals we have and provides the reader with a handbook for success." — Jim McCann, President, 1-800-Flowers Includes special advice for divorced, widowed, and senior singles! Your fun and easy guide to dating success Dating and relating doesn't have to be intimidating. This essential singles companion is filled with sound advice and shows you just how easy it is to meet, date, and start a relationship with exactly the kind of person you've been holding out for — without having to kiss another frog! Discover how to: Build your dating confidence Polish your social self Prepare for the big date Go out and have a good time Deal with dating difficulties Get serious — or keep it casual Get smart! www.dummies.com Register to win cool prizes Browse exclusive articles and excerpts Get a free Dummies Daily™e-mail newsletter Chat with authors and preview other books Talk to as, ask questions, get answers


About the Author
Dr. Joy Browne is a psychologist who hosts a long-running syndicated radio talk show. She recently launched The Dr. Joy Browne Show, which is broadcast on more than 130 television stations nationwide. Her many books include, most recently, It's a Jungle Out There, Jane.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Say good-bye to clammy hands, stammering, and butterflies in your stomach! This essential companion for singles escorts you through the intriguing -- and sometimes intimidating -- world of dating and relationships. Through sound advice and thoughtful tips, you discover how to get more satisfaction from your dating life. Just trade in those awful pickup lines -- for Dating For Dummies!

SYNOPSIS

So you've had a few nightmare dates in your life? Dating can be great, or it can be the absolute pits. With a little help from Dating For Dummies, discover how to turn what could be a disastrous date into a good time (and a fabulous relationship). Author Dr. Joy Browne -- licensed clinical psychologist, best-selling author, and recipient of the Best Female Talk Show Host for 1997 award -- guides you through preparing for your first date to going on the date itself to creating a productive and long-term relationship.

With Dating For Dummies, you discover ways to increase your confidence, polish your social skills, figure out what you want, and find out where the best places are to meet your future mate.

Full of essential tips and dating wisdom, Dating For Dummies covers everything a single person in search of a date should know, including Selecting the right place for your first date Finding the best places to meet people Discovering how to protect yourself and understanding the myths and facts about date rape Ditching your date (politely) and exiting with style Finding dating tips for single parents, seniors, or those involved in office romances and long-distance relationships Discovering ways to make every day like Valentine's day

With Dating For Dummies, you have everything you need to make the dating game work for you!

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal

While you wouldn't want to be caught dead reading either of these titles on the subway, they offer a study in contrasts. Baber and Spitznagel seem to have set out to produce a humorous look at dating and mating, but they deliver a boorish effort that will confirm a lot of women's worst fears about male dating behavior. While some might think that the "humor book" caveat makes everything okay, the overall Beavis-and-Butthead approach to the subject, which is, less dating and more sex in these authors' minds provides little in the laughs department. Men and women should avoid this book like a blind date with a cold sore, and libraries can pass.