Whether it's a simple squeeze between old friends, a heartfelt bear hug for a child, or the tentative first embrace of love, there's much more to hugging than most people realize. In The Art of Hugging, lovers, friends, and family will find all the insights they need to add tenderness, technical know-how, and variety to every conceivable type of hug-from the platonic to the more-than-just-friendly. The Art of Hugging teaches huggers and huggees alike:Why hugs are good for your health and well-beingHugging preferences of men and women (they're not the same!)How to "read" the kind of hug your lover wantsEasy ways to become more huggableHow to ask for a hugWhat are the most romantic places and times to hugFrom side-by-side hugs to group hugs, bereavement hugs, good-bye and good-night hugs, to you've had-a-bad-day hugs, this collection will both inspire and enlighten. Snugglers everywhere will warm to the is cheerful, charming compendium of one of the world's most pleasant pastimes.