NPR's Book of the Day A psychoanalyst and a priest share insights in 'Love's Labor' and 'Work in Progress'
Feb 27, 2026
Stephen Grosz, a psychoanalyst with 40 years of practice, reflects on love, self-deception and emotional change. Father James Martin, a Jesuit priest and writer, recalls odd jobs that shaped his sense of vocation. They explore seeing others’ stories, letting go, how work shapes identity, and the dignity found in everyday labor.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Only Child Couldn't Mail Her Wedding Invitations
- Sophie loved her fiancé but couldn't mail wedding invitations because she feared losing her close relationship with her parents.
- Stephen Gross uses her story to show love requires letting go, illustrated by an only child delaying commitment until confronting loss.
Crisis Can Be A Breakthrough For Commitment
- Many people treat marriage like staying or leaving, rather than learning to 'properly marry' by changing how they show up.
- Gross reframes crises as opportunities to turn breakdowns into breakthroughs and deepen commitment.
Jealousy Masked Envy And Sanctimony
- Ravi believed his wife was cheating, but Gross found the jealousy was a delusion rooted in envy of her capacity for love.
- The delusion let him spoil being loved because he preferred being 'right' and morally superior.
