Essays in Love [Paperback]

Alain de Botton (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Picador (January 20, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0330440780
• ISBN-13: 978-0330440783
• Product Dimensions: 7.6 x 5.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #25,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alain is the author of seven non-fiction books that look at the great questions of ordinary life - love, friendship, work, travel, home - in a way that is intellectually rigorous, therapeutic, amusing and always highly readable. His goal is to bring ideas back to where they belong: at the center of our lives.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Brilliant Study, November 28, 2001

By 

Lleu Christopher (Hudson Valley, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Essays in Love (Audio Cassette)

This is a kind of hybrid novel/philosophical study of romantic love. The plot is, on the surface, a rather conventional one; a man and woman meet and fall in love. Most of the book, however, consists of the narrator (the male lover) reflecting on each stage of the process, from initial attraction to the despair of love's departure. What is perhaps most striking about Essays In Love is how Alain De Botton manages to combine passion and intellect. He is able to adroitly mix a scholarly, intellectual analysis with truly felt emotions. He is also extremely perceptive regarding the often perverse nature of our emotions. For example, he illustrates the tendency of someone in love to feel less highly of the loved one if he or she reciprocates the feeling. From this book, I'd guess De Botton has a background in Western philosophy, as the bulk of the references are from this field. Plato, Kant, Nietzsche, and many others are quoted. Yet the book is never dry or academic; the rawness of the lovers' emotions is always there to keep our hearts as well as our minds intrigued. James Wilby, the reader, perfectly captures the ideas, feelings and nuances of the story.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Read, December 29, 2010

By 

Liang Qiao "L Q" (LA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essays in Love (Paperback)

To be honest, I checked out this book from library after I watched the film based on the book: My Last 5 Girlfriends. The film was interesting, but the book itself was much better!
Very readable book on love and the relationship among lovers. I enjoyed reading it and Mr. De Botton was truly a talented writer.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliantly insightful., April 29, 2011

By 

Sam Quigley (Melbourne, AUS) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Essays in Love (Paperback)

So utterly relatable, it's more than a little disturbing. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone currently giddy with new love, but for everyone else, this is a surprisingly hilarious gem of a book.