Love and the Art of Personal Ads

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Looking for love in the afternoon. How about “an Italian Bella Donna with a hazel eyes and a degree in art.” Or a “Troll-like gurning male, trousers mostly held up with woven excerpts from Will Self’s latest.” Behold the art of the literary personal ad.

Elusive, descriptive and sometimes downright bizarre. As much of the lovelorn world bares all online looking for romance and sexual adventure, others are choosing instead to forego details of height, weight and hair color and instead pen ads that are more literary than literal.

For these lovers, the aim is to woo an erudite, well-traveled mate with eclectic tastes, box-seats to the opera, and a flair for fra diaviolo, as well as other spicy delights.

Guests:

Catherine Tice, Associate Publisher of The New York Review of Books

Paul Myerscough, Senior Editor of The London Review of Books

Mary Balfour, owner of Drawing Down the Moon, a London based dating agency.