Dr Ruth’s posthumous book is called ‘The Joy of Connection’.
Dr Ruth’s posthumous book is called ‘The Joy of Connection’
Pioneering straight-talking sex therapist Dr Ruth Westheimer, born Karola Ruth Seigel, died aged 96 on Friday (12.07.24) – with her publicist revealing a day later the sexpert was set to add to her collection of more than 40 best-selling tomes on relationships with a new release.
It’s now emerged the book, which Dr Ruth worked on with US journalist co-author Allison Gilbert, will help people understand and cope with loneliness and will be out in September.
Penguin Random House will release ‘The Joy of Connections’ in September ad the book is being billed as offering readers “100 ways to beat loneliness and live a happier and more meaningful life”.
Dr Ruth lives up to her role of Ambassador to Loneliness with the book release – a position to which New York Governor Kathy Hochul appointed her in November 2023.
Allison told People about the upcoming release: “The last time I saw Dr Ruth, we were together and the editor of our book was able to bring her a bound copy of ‘The Joy of Connections’ – so she could see it, so she could touch it, so she could run her fingers over the pages and know that it was really, truly happening as all authors like to do.
“You want to see the pages, you want to feel the pages.”
Dr Ruth said she wanted her mission after the Covid lockdowns to be helping lonely people.
The therapist, who was 4ft 7in tall, is globally renowned for revolutionising the way the world talked about sex and sexuality and for helping drive the ‘sexpert’ industry.
She died peacefully at home in Manhattan, New York City, while clutching her family’s hands, her publicist said, but no cause of death has yet been announced.
German-American Ruth married three times and had two children, and was born in Wiesenfeld, Germany.
While supporting safe sex, Ruth’s mission was to get people to openly discuss sex and sexuality – with her motto being there was nothing to be ashamed of when regarding sexual preferences.