by David Isay
First published 2012
Dave Isay opens the StoryCorps archives to reveal how love unfolds in ordinary and extraordinary places. The book presents couples who met at New York tollbooths, formed bonds on military bases in Iraq, and connected in airport lounges. Isay traces relationships from early courtship through decades of marriage, showing how partners navigate career changes, home building, and family raising. The stories capture love that endures discrimination, illness, poverty, and geographic separation. Some couples face the ultimate test when death threatens their bond. Through these authentic voices, Isay demonstrates how relationships provide both celebration during joyful moments and comfort during shared grief. The collection reveals love's capacity to survive seemingly impossible circumstances and showcases the determination people bring to their most important partnerships.
Genres: family, relationships, non-fiction, biography-memoir, 21st-century, social
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family
Setting: Iraq, New York
Period: 21st-century
176 pages · Hardcover · Penguin Press