On Love: A Novel

A truly transformative work. It spoke to me in a variety of ways, and before I was halfway through, I knew I would be reading this again. For those who have been through a love story that did not hold together, you will see yourself somewhere in these pages. The philosophy may be too much for some, but if you just want to read a story about two people in a relationship, there are plenty of other books that will suit your needs. But for others who look for meaning in the small things in a relationship, this book does an excellent job of articulating them and helping you to understand them, and sometimes understand why they are of little importance.I plan to read more of his writing, because his style is both relatable, but at every turn the possibility exists that he will expose you to some philosophy you didn't know or some consideration about a situation you hadn't considered, and it will open your mind to more than you thought was there.

A great read, heavy on the philosophy, with bits of a novel interspersed throughout. Light enough to warrant the read and come away with a few interesting ideas.

For me this was the perfect book! I loved the intense, personal details juxtaposed with reflection on the nature of love and infatuation. I can't say I've ever felt as deeply as Alain, but by magnifying what I have felt when I've fallen in love, it helped me to understand the insanity that takes over in romantic love. I can see the attraction of psychoanalysis which gives us a sense of control in the sense that our subconscious created the tragedy we are now experiencing and if that is the case then there is hope for us through therapy to control our lives. I'm not sure I agree with that, but the pain we bring upon ourselves through romantic love may be mitigated if we can gain a better understanding of it, if only because we realize we are not alone and others have suffered as deeply or even more deeply. I am now reading his second book on love written 20 years later, although I don't find it as interesting as this one.

The reason I bought this book was the videos and pieces from The School of Life. I was a bit disappointed though. There is something about the voice of the narrator that is not natural, he tries to sound too smart or something and I was annoyed by it. There is something lacking in the story as well, character development perhaps, a further draft, more time. The sentences, though, are beautifully constructed and you can see some of de Botton's present voice in them. And some parts were indeed hilarious. The main reason I found this book just okay is because I could not see in it the usual depth I find in other pieces from the author. The sense of humor, however, was there. In any case, I will still buy his other books because I find this man very smart.

Alain de Botton once again takes his own experiences and integrates the experiences of philosophers and writers alike. Although The Art of Travel is still my favorite book by de Botton, On Love is insightful and introspective. As his first published book, this reads as somewhat like an embryonic version of de Botton's style that is more fully formed in works such as The Architecture of Happiness and How Proust Can Change Your Life.This is a book for anyone who has fallen in love, or is hoping to someday. It has all the insights of not just one man's experience but of hundreds of years of philosophers and artist's reflections on the subject of love. Read On Love if you are hoping to not just understand your own experience but the human condition more fully.

This was a very smart, modern meditation on romantic love that delivered page after page of piercing insight, humility, self awareness, and classic erudition. Romantic love is one of countless (but maybe the most interesting) portals to deeper psycho/philosophical knowledge of who we are and what we humans ultimately seek, and de Botton does the topic justice. Great read that could equally accompany you as a beach read or be in an upper level philosophy syllabus. That's hard to pull off.

Alain de Botton takes you on a wonderful imaginative journey of love with a massive array of philosophical references to cope with the natural wear and tear of relationships. Starting off simply from a cute meet and great, to the discomfort of seeing his girlfriend wearing overly-expensive high heals that contrast the market deli butcher' horrible socks-and-sandals combination, and the innate paradox of how much care he has for his love, Botton attempts to tackle the massive combination, what is love?But what sets this book apart from most is that Botton does answer his massive questions about love and relationships, though temporarily, because as any knows, every battle in a relationships is temporary until it isn't and then, armed with knowledge of the war a person must decide if it's worth the battle scars...and most of us decide it is.An incredible book that should be a companion piece to any new relationship.

This is the kind of existential love story that could probably only transpire in a contemporary, fluid society where the context is neither societal nor familial, but rather a pure expression of a couple's mutual and almost inexplicable infatuation. The trajectory of their relationship is told from the man's point of view with a pitch perfect ear for the small observations and insights that ring so true in the angsty, post-modern view of love. The brevity and perfection of the narrative makes it read almost like an allegory, although there are a few excellent philosophical and psychological digressions as well. Like a single piece of amazing gourmet chocolate, this quick read leaves one feeling totally satisfied from a literary perspective, albeit perhaps slightly more pessimistic about love in the 21st Century.

I'm truly beginning to love this author. I've already read "On the course of love". Fresh and enlightening perspective. The reviews on the cover should be enough to encourage one to get a hold of this smart book.

From the point of view of a lover, Alain De Botton pictures almost every important aspect of a classic western love between two productive beings whose life would be very much enjoyable with a couple in a particular symbiosis. What's most pleasant about the book is that these core ideas are illustrated in lively and pretty real-looking anecdotes. Maybe it would be interesting seeing a sequel of this book about the perils and multiple outcomes of a broken love.

Amazing, informative and entertaining

An account of being in love, and the course love usually takes. Being rather true to its subject, the first half is quite unputdownable, but subsequently requires more effort to stay focused:)

This is a wonderful book. Definitely one of the best things I've read in a long time, maybe ever. It was enormously insightful, engaging, funny and even therapeutic. The descriptions of the joy and pain of romantic relationships left me feeling like I had a slightly better understanding of myself. "On Love" is the American title for "Essays in Love", it's the same book, so check out listings for both.