The History of Love

by Nicole Krauss

Shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2006 and winner of the 2006 Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger, The History of Love explores the lasting power of the written word and the lasting power of love. Published as a Penguin Essential for the first time.

'When I was born my mother named me after every girl in a book my father gave her called The History of Love. . . '

Fourteen-year-old Alma Singer is trying to find a cure for her mother's loneliness. Believing she might discover it in an old book her mother is lovingly translating, she sets out in search of its author.

Across New York an old man called Leo Gursky is trying to survive a little bit longer. He spends his days dreaming of the love lost that sixty years ago in Poland inspired him to write a book. And although he doesn't know it yet, that book also survived: crossing oceans and generations, and changing lives. . .

'Wonderfully affecting...brilliant, touching and remarkably poised' Sunday Telegraph

'A tender tribute to human valiance. Who could be unmoved by a cast of characters whose daily battles are etched on out mind in such diamond-cut prose?' Independent on Sunday

'Devastating...one of the most passionate vindications of the written word in recent fiction. It takes one's breath away' Spectator

• ISBN10: 0241973635
• ISBN13: 9780241973639
• Publish Date: 6 August 2015 (first published 26 May 2005)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
• Format: Paperback
• Pages: 272
• Language: English

Reviews

[Kait ✨]

I don’t remember where or when I first heard of The History of Love, but I know it was a long time ago. I think I may have seen the spine in my public library and been caught up by the title, but it’s taken me years to get around to reading it.

I should probably start off by saying that overall I really liked this book: it was moving, this subject matter was interesting, and there were sentences in the novel that made me say out loud to my mom, “Gosh! This writing is just beautiful!” I’ve included a quotation below to show you what I mean, because I don’t know how to describe Krauss’s writing other than lyrical and poetic and awesome:

“Once upon a time there was a boy who lived in a house across the field from a girl who no longer exists. They made up a thousand games. She was Queen and he was King. In the autumn light, her hair shone like a crown. They collected the world in small handfuls. When the sky grew dark they parted with leaves in their hair.”

Read the whole review at Bookish Comforts!