The 100 Simple Secrets of Great Relationships
By David Niven (Capstone, $96)
The title of this book is a little daunting for anyone wondering how to spice up their love life or improve their relationships. I mean, 100 secrets? Isn't that a few too many to digest and use?
But these aren't just gems of advice based on one person's experience, says author, psychologist and social scientist David Niven. They're tips based on the conclusions of multiple scientific studies of relationships, dating habits and marriage, many of which have been hidden away in obscure scientific journals and lost to ordinary people.
Niven is the man behind various international bestselling '100 Simple Secrets' publications, including the 100 Simple Secrets of Healthy People; Happy People and Successful People. It's easy to see why they're bestsellers with Niven's plain English style of writing, backed up with interesting true-life tales and the science behind it all.
But for all the scientific research giving credibility to these tips, there appears to be nothing much new or revelatory here. Advice such as 'don't bring your job home with you', 'a relationship requires two equals', 'leave the past in the past' and 'like the way you look' are all very well, but sound a little too condescending and simple for anyone looking for real help. There's little among this 100 - apart from the footnotes and references to scientific studies - that couldn't be gleaned from a chat with your grandparents.