Happy Valentine's Day! I know from reading everyone's posts this week that love has been on everyone's mind. I figured the subject of love in literature had pretty well been covered but I started to wonder what books might have been overlooked. A lot of books show up on almost every list: Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, The Notebook, The Time Traveler's Wife and Gone With The Wind. Three works that receive less attention, but provide unique tales of love are:
According the the publisher's blurb, Sayonara, by James Michener, "tells the story of Major Lloyd Gruver, son of an army general stationed in Japan, dating a general's daughter, and happy with his life. He didn't understand the soldiers who fell in love with Japanese girls. Then he met Hana-ogi. After that nothing mattered anymore. Nothing but her...." I may just have to pick this one up for The Michener Challenge.
Possession, by A. S. Byatt, is a Man Booker prize winner. It explores the love lives to two present day scholars as they research the romance between Victorian era poets. Amongst readers of Byatt, this one definitely seems to be a favorite.
Beneath A Marble Sky, by John Shors, "recreates the remarkable lives of those responsible for the Taj Mahal's existence" according to the books website. How can I not want to read about a love so great that it inspired one of the most incredible buildings in the world?
What's your favorite love story ever?
A tale of love I found, surprisingly, in Water for Elephants, which I just finished listening to on CD. The older novels are always great, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks for bringing my attention to these "off the beaten tracks" love stories - they definitely sound like they're worth a read. I always find it hard to think of my favorites on the spot, which is why its easy to stick to the classics ;)
ReplyDeleteA favorite of mine is Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. It's not a traditional love story or written as a love story. But it's about a couple who has been married for years and the ups and downs they have gone through together, which have been pretty major. It's a beautifully written story. I admit I am biased though as Wallace Stegner is one of my favorite authors.
ReplyDeleteI don't read too many love stories so none are coming to mind at the moment. My book club picked Beneath a Marble Sky for our list this year though.
ReplyDeleteI love hearing about oldies but goodies, or the backlist as they say.
ReplyDeletePossession was a wonderful story for me. I hope you enjoy them all.
Beneath a Marble Sky was wonderful. I did not want that story to end. It had everything, love history. I read a bit of it every chance I got. I also read his Beside a Burning Sea. It was good too, but not as good as Marble Sky
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