Love Now vs. Ancient Rome

Today's valentines focus on sharing, caring, love and friendship. The beloved is portrayed as gentle, sensitive, tender and compassionate. But the ancient Romans had quite a different take on love, says Hamilton College Classics Professor Barbara Gold. Love for them was painful, like a disease.

Researching Interracial Romance Novels

Romance novels typically have been written by white women, featuring white protagonists. But since the 1980s, women of color have begun writing romances, with black-white lovers featuring prominently. Bowdoin College English professor Guy Mark Foster says the genre is uniquely suited for an examination of race, culture and sexuality—with its recurring themes of forbidden love overcoming great obstacles.