Description
A man and a woman meet over casual conversation on a flight from Paris to London, and so begins a love story-from first kiss to first argument, elation to heartbreak, and everything in between. Each stage of the relationship is illuminated with starling clarity, as novelist and philosopher Alain de Botton explores young love and its emotions, often felt but rarely understood.
Genres
Collection
Publication
London Picador [2010?]
Pages
211
User reviews
LibraryThing member carrieprice78
The lusty musings of a self-involved, egotistical narrator. The writing is enough to keep the reader involved for about half of it, then one just can't take it any more. Who cares? Annoying. de Botton appears to be very well read, as he is able to draw on writings of philosophers and others
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throughout history to bring light to his subject, and I found that at least moderately entertaining. Show Less
LibraryThing member sometimeunderwater
The ending has some emotional resonance, but mainly its just banal, like most of De Botton's work. It's clear that 'Philosopher' is used here solely as a brand to market his books rather than as a meaningful category. It's just a boring novel with some Sunday Supplement musings.
The most annoying
The most annoying
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thing is how it aims to speak about the 'universality of love', but it's all about a pair of upper-middle class North London creative economy types, and the rest of the world doesn't get a look in. It's just infuriating. Show Less
LibraryThing member kpodesta
Fiction (or is it??) about a love affair, from the male writer's perspective. Relationship start to end. The observations & wit sound real - a testament to the writer whether they are true or not (he describes them well). Enjoyable, fun, with some poignancy.
LibraryThing member alana_leigh
Every reader simply must identify with the narrator in some capacity. Each time I read it, I see myself in new passages. This is a book that I will only recommend or give to people who I believe can appreciate it.
LibraryThing member kidrah
A great personal story about falling in love and relationships - written in a tone that is similar to the way we would write emails or have late night conversations: authentic and human. The character (the author) meets someone on a plane, and then goes through all the ups and downs of falling in
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love and the complications with it - really rings true with real life. Show Less
LibraryThing member Myhi
Great novel/essay on love ! On of the best ever.... so very modern approach, describing every-day details and attitudes ! Was absolutely impressed by this discovery... a book that doesn't claim to be a 100% essay, nor a regular novel.
While the structure is rather common, the way AdB combines the
Also, the way characters are described -through lots of details related to their behavior under certain circumstances- makes the story believable.
On the last page of the book.... was wondering if I should feel sad about the way things turned out to end; the book is not a happy-or-less-happy-ending story, but an essay using a story as an example.
While the structure is rather common, the way AdB combines the
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action of the novel with his personal (scientific) explanations on the phenomenon turns the book into a masterpiece. Every single chapter has just enough of both, so one couldn't get bored - and also go home with a lesson learned !Also, the way characters are described -through lots of details related to their behavior under certain circumstances- makes the story believable.
On the last page of the book.... was wondering if I should feel sad about the way things turned out to end; the book is not a happy-or-less-happy-ending story, but an essay using a story as an example.
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LibraryThing member globalnole
On Love is a hilarious anecdote about the trials and tribulations we face when one begins the process of falling in love. de Botton takes us through his feelings of masculinity, insecurity and the absolutes of a relationship. He describes the object of his desire, Chloe, with detailed precision and
I completely recommend this book for anyone, no matter where they are in finding love.
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reminds us that we are all capable of making mistakes in the art of love. I completely recommend this book for anyone, no matter where they are in finding love.
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LibraryThing member Y2Ash
On Love is Alain de Botton's way of explaining his courtship with Chloe. He uses many theories of philosophers (Plato, Kant, Nietzsche), psychologists and psychiatrists(Jung, Freud, Dr. Peggy Nearly), and even religion to describe the near delirium of the beginnings of love and relationships to
I really adored this book on the mystifying, frustrating yet satisfying aspects of Love. I feel like I could have written this book if I had the eloquence of words behind me. Although I have never experienced love or more specifically, reciprocated love, I understood wholeheartedly how you love a person more when the object of your affection doesn't know.
On Love reminded me of a combination of 500 Days of Summer and Down to You. The former more. de Botton had a way of explaining a multitude of theories, practically all I agree with especially mature and immature love, in a very garrulous but relatable way.
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their disastrous and paranoid filled endings.I really adored this book on the mystifying, frustrating yet satisfying aspects of Love. I feel like I could have written this book if I had the eloquence of words behind me. Although I have never experienced love or more specifically, reciprocated love, I understood wholeheartedly how you love a person more when the object of your affection doesn't know.
On Love reminded me of a combination of 500 Days of Summer and Down to You. The former more. de Botton had a way of explaining a multitude of theories, practically all I agree with especially mature and immature love, in a very garrulous but relatable way.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Y2Ash
On Love is Alain de Botton's way of explaining his courtship with Chloe. He uses many theories of philosophers (Plato, Kant, Nietzsche), psychologists and psychiatrists(Jung, Freud, Dr. Peggy Nearly), and even religion to describe the near delirium of the beginnings of love and relationships to
I really adored this book on the mystifying, frustrating yet satisfying aspects of Love. I feel like I could have written this book if I had the eloquence of words behind me. Although I have never experienced love or more specifically, reciprocated love, I understood wholeheartedly how you love a person more when the object of your affection doesn't know.
On Love reminded me of a combination of 500 Days of Summer and Down to You. The former more. de Botton had a way of explaining a multitude of theories, practically all I agree with especially mature and immature love, in a very garrulous but relatable way.
Show More
their disastrous and paranoid filled endings.I really adored this book on the mystifying, frustrating yet satisfying aspects of Love. I feel like I could have written this book if I had the eloquence of words behind me. Although I have never experienced love or more specifically, reciprocated love, I understood wholeheartedly how you love a person more when the object of your affection doesn't know.
On Love reminded me of a combination of 500 Days of Summer and Down to You. The former more. de Botton had a way of explaining a multitude of theories, practically all I agree with especially mature and immature love, in a very garrulous but relatable way.
Show Less
LibraryThing member Y2Ash
On Love is Alain de Botton's way of explaining his courtship with Chloe. He uses many theories of philosophers (Plato, Kant, Nietzsche), psychologists and psychiatrists(Jung, Freud, Dr. Peggy Nearly), and even religion to describe the near delirium of the beginnings of love and relationships to
I really adored this book on the mystifying, frustrating yet satisfying aspects of Love. I feel like I could have written this book if I had the eloquence of words behind me. Although I have never experienced love or more specifically, reciprocated love, I understood wholeheartedly how you love a person more when the object of your affection doesn't know.
On Love reminded me of a combination of 500 Days of Summer and Down to You. The former more. de Botton had a way of explaining a multitude of theories, practically all I agree with especially mature and immature love, in a very garrulous but relatable way.
Show More
their disastrous and paranoid filled endings.I really adored this book on the mystifying, frustrating yet satisfying aspects of Love. I feel like I could have written this book if I had the eloquence of words behind me. Although I have never experienced love or more specifically, reciprocated love, I understood wholeheartedly how you love a person more when the object of your affection doesn't know.
On Love reminded me of a combination of 500 Days of Summer and Down to You. The former more. de Botton had a way of explaining a multitude of theories, practically all I agree with especially mature and immature love, in a very garrulous but relatable way.
Show Less
LibraryThing member untraveller
Excellent reading getting to the very heart of relationships. Read may 2015 while in Hay-on-Wye, Wales.
LibraryThing member a_forester
Strange but interesting approach to a novel. Entertaining the thoughtful.
LibraryThing member brakketh
I loved this novel. A romance with philosophical musings built around the characters. Perceptive and very enjoyable.
LibraryThing member soylentgreen23
Love him or hate him, De Botton has some good ideas but sometimes fails to find interesting or non-cliched ways to express them.
LibraryThing member phoibee
It's the (commercialized) love month so I decided to read a book about love.
At first, my head hurts from reading it. Haha. I don't really like the whole notion of analyzing bit by bit a word that could only be described by actually feeling it. As I go on, however, I think that it's what makes itThey also went to London by the early afternoon of my birthday. Nothing much, I just like it lol. I wish to go to London again. ) In the end, the feeling I have is the same of what I felt after watching the movie called 500 Days of Summer. Hopeful. I think it just had the same attack on me.
At first, my head hurts from reading it. Haha. I don't really like the whole notion of analyzing bit by bit a word that could only be described by actually feeling it. As I go on, however, I think that it's what makes it
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different from other books I read. Like the persona loving Chloe, I begin to love the book. The theories and references sometimes threw me off but sometimes drew me in. I highlighted/noted most lines. (Also, London baby! Show Less
LibraryThing member andycyca
TL;DR: Get this book if you've ever (over)analyzed a relationship or been in love.
Alain de Botton guides us through the mind of a young man in love, carefully dissecting those thoughts that we've all had about ourselves, a loved one, doubts, hidden messages and everything happening during a
This vivisection is minute enough to help us recognize these little thoughts as observers, which in turn lead to simple descriptions of those nagging questions and their now very logical answers. We can live the hardships of love with a clear mind and come out, if not wiser, at least a lot more knowledgeable about ourselves and our loved ones.
It's exactly as a reviewer said: a return to philosophy's core, which is to help us live our lives. Full marks for this one.
Alain de Botton guides us through the mind of a young man in love, carefully dissecting those thoughts that we've all had about ourselves, a loved one, doubts, hidden messages and everything happening during a
Show More
romantic relationship. This vivisection is minute enough to help us recognize these little thoughts as observers, which in turn lead to simple descriptions of those nagging questions and their now very logical answers. We can live the hardships of love with a clear mind and come out, if not wiser, at least a lot more knowledgeable about ourselves and our loved ones.
It's exactly as a reviewer said: a return to philosophy's core, which is to help us live our lives. Full marks for this one.
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Awards
LA Times Book Prize (Finalist — 1994)
Original publication date
1993