An unnamed narrator meets Alice on a flight from London to Paris, falls in love with her, and the book follows the affair from first attraction through intimacy, quarrels and breakup. Each short chapter turns a moment into a topic for philosophical reflection, drawing on Plato, Marx, Freud, Kierkegaard and others to analyse why we idealise a partner, fear rejection, resent being loved, or play games in courtship. De Botton mixes fiction with essay, so the reasoning is as important as the plot.
It is a good choice for anyone who enjoys thinking about relationships in a clever, amused way, with a little irony at the lover's expense. You leave with some sharper vocabulary for describing your own romantic habits.
Inward-looking, contemplative and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2003
- Publisher
- Humanitas
- Language
- RO
