Fascination with the Devil

Positioned as a self-help book for adult women seeking healthy and satisfying love relationships, this book instead sends a shrill, disheartening message to both sexes. McMillan, a Stanford Ph.D. in psychology and former L.A. relationship consultant, takes a hard line toward those men whom she defines as ""emotionally dangerous,"" incapable of having honest, committed, monogamous relationships. That such men are described as ""devils"" with the power to ""wreck women's lives"" tips off readers to the author's stance. Assuring women that the majority of men are not ""emotionally dangerous,"" the book catalogues a range of appalling behaviors and a rogue's gallery of ""Cheaters,"" ""Hostile Victims"" and ""Intense Burnouts."" Showing slightly more sympathy toward the women who love these men and/or tolerate their behavior, the author nevertheless provides women with tough-love guidelines for identifying and ridding themselves of emotionally dangerous men. Dubious about men's ability to change their behavior and skeptical about the effectiveness of therapy, McMillan offers one chapter on developing subsequent relationships. While some of her advice is good common sense, other suggestions may amuse or insult contemporary women: don't talk too much or slow dance on the first date; lose weight if necessary. McMillan bases this work on her research and interviews, but gives little information about her methodology. (Apr.)