In brief
The Modern Love column marks its 20th anniversary this month, offering tales that capture the journey of love—finding it, losing it, and nurturing it—through over 1,000 essays. Editor Daniel Jones reflects on its legacy, from stories that have saved marriages to those adding profound value to strangers' lives.
Launching two decades ago on Halloween, Modern Love quickly became a fixture for heartfelt storytelling under editor Daniel Jones. Its first story by bachelor Steve Friedman touched on the personal trials of being dumped, setting a precedent for the intimate narratives to follow. Each essay reveals deep emotional experiences, drawing readers into private lives made public. Popular essays over the years embody themes of finding, losing, and retaining love. Notable among them is Amy Sutherland’s 2006 column, where she applied animal training techniques to improve her marriage, with amusing yet effective results.In another celebrated essay from 2015, Mandy Len Catron tested if asking 36 intimate questions could accelerate falling in love. The success detailed in "To Fall in Love With Anyone, Do This" multiplied beyond the essay, sparking numerous love stories. Later, Amy Krouse Rosenthal's poignant narrative from her hospice bed, "You May Want to Marry My Husband," offered a touching testament to enduring love as she faced terminal cancer. These diverse stories have shaped readers' perceptions of love, providing a shared space for reflection and connection. Through two decades, Modern Love continues to reveal the complexities and beauty of human relationships, affirming its place in thousands of readers' hearts.