New book: "George Clooney & Single"

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George Clooney is often considered one of, or is possibly the most eligible bachelor in the world, so why has his longest live-in companion been a pot bellied pig?

Why has this attractive, charming, funny, rich, successful man, with a good social conscience, never found long-term happiness with a romantic soul-mate? Despite a string of liaisons with several beautiful women, he has never managed to sustain a romantic relationship beyond a few years.

Is it because he is so wedded to his work? Is it because he has never found someone important enough to make a real commitment, involving sacrifice and compromise? Is it because he is not prepared to let down his guard enough to be part of a couple? Or is it due to something else?

As a self-confessed workaholic with an apparent need for control, a strong self-protection mechanism and old-style male values, and a key support system involving a band of like-minded ‘boys’, finding the right soul-mate and staying with them, particularly given the public spotlight, will never be easy – but is it impossible?

This book explores possible answers to the curious question ‘George Clooney & Single: Why?’. It looks at what we know about ‘The Man’ himself, what we know about ‘The Women’ he has dated, and why they don’t last, in the context of current thinking on how we choose a suitable mate and sustain long-standing romantic relationships.

The blurb:

This book is not a biography of George Clooney – his life has been chronicled in many publications by others. Instead it explores possible reasons why this Hollywood superstar has remained single for most of his life.

The first chapters cover what we know about ‘The Man’, and about ‘The Women’ he has dated, looking at differences between the ‘camps’ of girlfriends before and after he became the superstar he is today. It explores what dating George Clooney might be like in reality, and examines possible reasons why the relationships don’t last.

Is it because of circumstances?
Do they get entangled too fast? Are they under too much scrutiny? Can he actually meet the right ones?

Could it be something about the women he has chosen to date, particularly since becoming famous?
Do they find they are too different to him? Do they feel too inferior? Do they feel too replaceable? Do they expect it to end? Do they just need more commitment?

Is it something about The Man himself?
Could The Achiever be a Mr Overachiever? Is The Playboy just a Mr Fairweather? Might The Humanitarian be a Mr Perfectionist at heart? Is The Loyal Friend actually a Mr Self-Protector? Behind The Down-To-Earth Guy is there a Mr Self-Doubter? Is The Man’s Man part of avoiding commitment and being a Mr No-Ties? Is The Ringleader fundamentally a Mr Controller? Or is The Joker deep down still a bit of a Mr Schoolboy?

In the last part the book looks at what any of us need for long-term successful partnerships, with reference to George Clooney’s romantic history, finishing with ‘An All-Purpose Recipe for Long-Term Romantic Success’ - of course no recipe is guaranteed but a good one certainly helps!

About the author:
After qualifying as an MD at London University, D. H. Barkley practiced as a physician for many years, specialising in acute hospital medicine. Having moved to Switzerland because of her husband’s job and finding it hard to pursue a fulfilling career there herself, she founded a business providing writing services on medical and scientific topics for healthcare professionals, policy makers, and the public. She ran the growing company for several years, overseeing its global operations in Europe and USA. After selling the business, she decided to do something completely different and, with her interest piqued by encounters with a number of women who clearly found George Clooney fascinating but were so different to the women he has dated, she settled down to write her first book, ‘George Clooney & Single: Why?’. She lives in Switzerland with her husband and two boisterous border collies. She has one son and one daughter who visit when their washing baskets are full and their fridges are empty.