Integrating psychological theories with empirical evidence, the author of this volume draws fundamental conclusions about the nature and types of relationships, and develops eight dimensions of relatedness ranging from the very casual to the deeply intimate.

Each chapter examines a particular dimension and includes a brief life history of a person interviewed by the author. Particular attention is paid to how the type of relationship discussed shaped that person, with diagrams charting these relationships over time. The book also discusses how the sexes differ in the way they relate to others and the various forms that love can take.