“For someone who is in love, or was in love, or hopes to be in love.”
AUTHOR: Erich Segal
OTHER WORKS: Oliver’s Story; Roman Laughter: The Comedy of Plautus.
1st PUBLISHED: Love Story is a 1970 romance novel by American writer Erich Segal. The book's origins were in that of a screenplay Segal wrote and was subsequently approved for production by Paramount Pictures. Paramount requested that Segal adapt the story into novel form as a preview of sorts for the film. The novel was released on February 14, 1970, Valentine's Day.
ISBN- 13: 978-0-380-01760-7
ISBN-10: -380-01760-1
GENRE: Romance
SYNOPSIS:
He is Oliver, a rich jock from a stuffy WASP family on his way to a Harvard degree and a career in law.
She is Jenny, a wisecracking beauty studying music at Radcliffe.
Opposites in every way, Oliver and Jenny immediately attract, sharing a love that defies everything…yet will end soon.
EXCERPT:
We spoke in whispers.
‘‘Hey, Jen…’’
“Yeah?’’
“Jen…what would you say if I told you…”
I hesitated. She waited.
“I think I’m in love with you.”
There was a pause. Then she answered very softly.
“I would say…you were full of shit.”
ARPITA SPEAKS:
It’s a story that will make you smile, that will make you cry. It isn’t perfect, but it sure can move the sky.
Oliver Barrett IV, who belongs to a rich, honorable and uptight family, and Jennifer Cavalleri, an intelligent, working class student of music meet at the Radcliffe library, and gradually fall in love. After passing out from college, the two lovebirds decide to marry against the wishes of Oliver's father, who consequently disowns his son.
Financially unstable, the couple strives to make ends meet. However, Oliver soon graduates from Harvard and he takes a position at a respectable New York law firm. With the improvement in their living conditions, Jennifer and Oliver decide to have a child. When they fail, the two of them decide to consult a doctor- and when they learn the truth about Jennifer, things fall apart.
While it’s a novel that has come to epitomize love, it might or might not trigger the usual reaction in every reader. I, for one, feel that it is very touching, yet I found the kind of problems that the young couple had to endure even before the tragedy, and the sad ending, somewhat upsetting. Nevertheless, it is a beautiful story… about true love, and the imprint it leaves on our hearts for ever.
RATING: 3/5
PRICE: Rs.170/- (Harper Collins)
NUMBER OF PAGES: 187
this was the first book which brought me to tears. Loved the story and the concept. There's a certain magic attached to it.
ReplyDeleteNice review :)
i read this one long long long back & at the time i liked it. wonder if i'd go for a second reading :)
ReplyDeletewasn't Masoom the movie loosely based on this novel?
thanks for ur comments, confused soul n sujatha :) well, i am really not sure if it was based on the novel- it might have been but i'll have to find out :)
ReplyDelete"It’s a story that will make you smile, that will make you cry. It isn’t perfect, but it sure can move the sky."
ReplyDeletewhoa! awesome lines!!!
even though i will never be caught dead buying romance, i will definitely read it when i get my hands on it
I had read it in hindi in Aha Zindagi! a monthly issue from Dainik Bhaskar Publication. But since they wanted it to be short, they translated it badly. I am looking to read it in future. :)
ReplyDeleteaaaw...thanks,FL. it's so sweet of u to appreciate it. :) and i'm confident that u, and kashish, will enjoy it!
ReplyDeleteFL .. do read this ..ifi am caught reading a romance book, this will be it ! I have read it twice already.. i totally loooove it :) and yes, i read it after some one said that a mallika sherawat movie (d one with lot of kisses) was based on this book..
ReplyDeleteThe only story of love that I have always kept with me. Read it, felt a bit sad and went and told someone I love how much I love them.
ReplyDelete