Reviews

"Smart and ironic . . . The book's success has much to do with its beautifully modeled sentences, its wry humor, and its unwavering deadpan respect for the reader's intelligence . . . full of keen observation and flashes of genuine lyricism, acuity and depth." --Francine Prose, New Republic "Imagine, of all impossible things, a young British Woody Allen with the benefit of a classical education and you have the nameless and exquisitely erudite narrator of On Love, a first novel by Alain de Botton, who seems to have been born to write." --Amanda Heller, Boston Globe "An intricate deconstruction of a love affair done in an intellectual, Seinfeldian style . . . The commentary hits the nail on the head." --Amy Sohn, The Week "Witty, funny, sophisticated, neatly tied up, and full of wise and illuminating insights." --P. J. Kavanagh, Spectator "I doubt if de Botton has written a dull sentence in his life." --Jan Morris, New Statesman "A dazzlingly original, erudite and witty journey through all the vagaries of romantic love. A total delight." --Josephine Hart, author of Sin and Damage "The smart and funny On Love is just the strong cup of coffee needed to clear your head after a sticky sweet like The Bridges of Madison County. On Love is romantic reality." --News & Observer "A tour de force pleasure of a first novel . . . A dissertation/novel on romantic narcissism that's both intellectually stimulating and emotionally touching. A very promising debut." --Kirkus Reviews

Two words on the cover (``a novel'') are the only hint that this unusual first book is fiction and not autobiography. The unnamed narrator is a London architect who becomes involved with Chloe, a graphic designer. After about a year, Chloe leaves him for an office-mate, and, as a result, the narrator tries (unsuccessfully) to kill himself. Eventually he gets over Chloe and falls in love with someone else. The novel's action is minimal; the balance of the book is given over to the narrator's obsessive analysis of his relationship with Chloe. (There are diagrams--such as the seating chart of the Boeing 767 where they met--that are meant to illustrate various ideas with which the narrator toys.) The book was likely intended as a Barthesian look at that peculiar heart condition called love, but the overblown and pretentious writing obliterates any comparison, peppered as it is with such winking turns-of-phrase as ``cartographic fascism.'' The author is clearly intelligent and well- read; perhaps some day he will put those assets to good literary use. (Nov.)

"Smart and ironic . . . The book's success has much to do with its beautifully modeled sentences, its wry humor, and its unwavering deadpan respect for the reader's intelligence . . . full of keen observation and flashes of genuine lyricism, acuity and depth." --Francine Prose, New Republic

"Imagine, of all impossible things, a young British Woody Allen with the benefit of a classical education and you have the nameless and exquisitely erudite narrator of On Love, a first novel by Alain de Botton, who seems to have been born to write." --Amanda Heller, Boston Globe "An intricate deconstruction of a love affair done in an intellectual, Seinfeldian style . . . The commentary hits the nail on the head." --Amy Sohn, The Week "Witty, funny, sophisticated, neatly tied up, and full of wise and illuminating insights." --P. J. Kavanagh, Spectator "I doubt if de Botton has written a dull sentence in his life." --Jan Morris, New Statesman "A dazzlingly original, erudite and witty journey through all the vagaries of romantic love. A total delight." --Josephine Hart, author of Sin and Damage "The smart and funny On Love is just the strong cup of coffee needed to clear your head after a sticky sweet like The Bridges of Madison County. On Love is romantic reality." --News & Observer "A tour de force pleasure of a first novel . . . A dissertation/novel on romantic narcissism that's both intellectually stimulating and emotionally touching. A very promising debut." --Kirkus Reviews