Juliet's Answer: One Man's Search for Love and the Elusive Cure for Heartbreak

by Glenn Dixon

Book, 2017

Genres

Biography & Memoir

Biography

General Nonfiction

Nonfiction

Collection

Your library

Publication

Gallery Books (2017), 272 pages

Description

"Eat, Pray, Love meets The Rosie Project in this fresh, heartwarming memoir by a man who travels to Verona and volunteers to answer letters addressed to Shakespeare's Juliet, all in an attempt to heal his own heartbreak. When Glenn Dixon is spurned by love, he packs his bags for Verona, Italy. Once there, he volunteers to answer the thousands of letters that arrive addressed to Juliet--letters sent from lovelorn people all over the world to Juliet's hometown; people who long to understand the mysteries of the human heart. Glenn's journey takes him deep into the charming community of Verona, where he becomes involved in unraveling the truth behind Romeo and Juliet. Did these star-crossed lovers actually exist? Why have they remained at the forefront of hearts and minds for centuries? And what can they teach us about love? When Glenn returns home to Canada and resumes his duties as an English teacher, he undertakes a lively reading of Romeo and Juliet with his students, engaging them in passions past and present. But in an intriguing reversal of fate and fortune, his students--along with an old friend--instruct the teacher on the true meaning of love, loss, and moving on. An enthralling tale of modern-day love steeped in the romantic traditions of eras past, this is a memoir that will warm your heart"--… (more)

User reviews

LibraryThing member sleahey

This is an enjoyable memoir about an American English teacher who spends time in Verona Italy as a volunteer answering letters written to Shakespeare's Juliet. Who knew that Juliet receives thousands of letters from all over the world asking about the nature of love, especially the heartaches and

disappointments of relationships? Dixon was himself at a crossroads after the love of his life moved on to someone else, so he was a seeker of answers himself, and as we might expect, he made some discoveries during his two sojourns in Verona. His journey is made all the more interesting by his description of the year in his high school classroom as he and his students studied Romeo and Juliet and each other. By interspersing tidbits from various research studies on the nature of love Dixon adds depth to his work.

Show Less

2 more

LibraryThing member cburnett5

Juliet’s Answer is a highly entertaining read. Glenn Dixon, a high school teacher in Canada, spends the summer in Verona answering the thousands of letters that come to Juliet Capulet. Struggling with love himself, he gains insight into matters of the heart while visiting the various haunts

associated with Romeo and Juliet. My favorite part of the story by far was learning so much more about Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet and the prior stories that it may be based on. Dixon imparts this knowledge in a creative manner by relaying the lessons he taught his high school class regarding the play. I also enjoyed learning more about the letters that come to Juliet and how the process of answering the letters began.

After reading Juliet’s Answer, I have added Verona to my list of places to visit. Dixon describes the town beautifully, and I cannot wait to see it someday for myself including Juliet’s house and statue. I enjoyed this book very much and recommend it. Thanks to Gallery Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to reach this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Show Less

LibraryThing member MickyFine

A high school English teacher, Glenn Dixon spends his summer volunteering in Verona, Italy as one of Juliet's secretaries, responding to the letters from individuals all over the globe who send letters to the iconic lover. In trying to gain a better understanding of the context of the play he

teaches his students every year and also searching for wisdom for his own love life, Dixon's memoir details both the universal experience of love and his own journey that took a dramatic turn shortly after that trip to Italy. A fun read, particularly for Shakespeare nerds and those who enjoy a good relationship memoir.

Show Less

Fewer