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The divorce rate is stuck near 50%, and it is pretty clear that our current romantic situation is far from ideal. So, with Valentine's Day fast approaching, I have a radical solution-we need to start relying less on romance and more on science. I know that this sounds somewhat bizarre, but the simple truth is that while we have continued to bumble along romantically in much the same fashion as always, science has made great strides in understanding the secret springs of attraction.

Once you open yourself to the possibility of science as your guide, you will quickly find that there are a slew of studies that can help you in a variety of unexpected ways. Let me give you a few examples. During my interviews, I discovered that many people found the modern world of dating so bewildering that they no longer even had a clear sense of what they should be looking for in a partner. If you have ever experienced this feeling, there is a quick and easy way to cut through the clutter: we most value those qualities about our partners that we value about ourselves, according to research. So, all you really need to figure out is what you like about yourself. If your favorite personal quality is kindness, then that is what you should seek in another (in fact, according to one study, we want a partner who is better than we are, so ideally you would find someone who is even more kind than you are).

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People of African descent have lived in the United States since the colonial period when most were brought over as slaves. Despite the long history of African Americans in America, the first person to question why American history largely ignored their presence in this country was Dr. Carter G. Woodson, the son of former slaves and a graduate of Harvard.

In 1926, Woodson decided to select a week to promote the study of African American history. He chose the second week in February because both Frederick Douglass's and Abraham Lincoln's birthdays fell during that week. Now, of course, we celebrate the entire month as African American History Month.

Here are some of our selections in honor of African American History Month:

President and First Lady Obama read The Moon Over Star to second graders.

Read the whole story in The Washington Post

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Three Cups of Tea Young Readers Edition and Listen to the Wind Both #1 on The New York Times Bestseller Lists

Greg Mortenson’s Three Cups of Tea has become a publishing phenomenon for readers of all ages, with all four versions of his inspiring story published by Penguin Group (USA) currently on The New York Times bestseller list and two editions in the #1 position. For the week of February 15th:

• Three Cups of Tea (Penguin) is #3 on the trade nonfiction paperback list in its 105th week
• Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg and Three Cups of Tea (Dial) is #1 on the children’s picture books list in its second week;
• Three Cups of Tea: Young Readers Edition (Puffin) is #1 on the children’s paperback list in its second week;
• Three Cups of Tea (Dial) is #10 on the children’s chapter books list.

Mortenson continues to address standing-room-only crowds as he makes his way through his national tour. Last weekend, he spoke to over 1,200 fans at Santa Monica High School, followed by an event in La Verne, CA on February 1st that drew 800 people. Upcoming tour cities include Acton, MA; Kansas City, and Cedar Falls, Iowa. National media includes feature coverage in People, Good Housekeeping, “The Tavis Smiley Show,” NPR’s “All Things Considered”, Family Circle, Junior Scholastic and The Washington Post. Stay tuned for more updates to come!