Oliver Barrett IV, a wealthy jock from a stuffy WASP family on his way to a Harvard degree and a career in law . . . Jenny Cavilleri, a sharp-tongued, working-class beauty studying music at Radcliffe . . .
Opposites in nearly every way, Oliver and Jenny are kindred spirits from vastly different worlds. Falling deeply and powerfully, their attraction to one another defies everything they have ever believed—as they share a passion far greater than anything they dreamed possible . . . and explore the wonder of a love that must end too soon.
One of the most adored novels of our time, this is the book that defined a generation—a story of uncompromising devotion, of life as it really is . . . and love that changes everything.
Topics: Love Story, Death, Social Class, College, Wealth, Marriage, Destiny, Terminal Illness, Heartbreaking, Romantic, Witty, 1970s, Boston, Novella, and Debut
Published: HarperCollins on Nov 1, 2011
Be the first to review this title!
Oddly enough, I don't think I saw the movie; although I did attend a gathering for college editors where I got to meet Ali mcGraw, Ryan O'Neal and Ray Milland. I may have read an abridged version -- I was visiting a roommate and her mother had a copy of the Ladies' Home Journal or some similar magazine in which the story appeared. What a weeper! I'm not sure why this rather formulaic romance (rich Harvard guy meets not so rich beautiful girl, they fall in love, she dies) would be on a must-read list except that so many people did read it and see the movie and it spawned the false motto, "Love means never having to say you're sorry."more
This book feels like a rough draft, not a finished novel. The characters are weak and underdeveloped and the central relationship is totally lacking chemistry. Short as it is, this book is riddled with profanity, which, in general, I don't have a problem with, but in this book it seemed forced, just a desperate attempt to make a mediocre story seem "hip" and "gritty." I heard this book likened to Bronte's "Wuthering Heights" and all I can say is, "Not even close." It's more along the lines of "Go Ask Alice" or "Perks of Being a Wallflower," i.e. hackneyed and predictable. The characters are rude and mean to each other and their relationship is built on such shaky foundations that, if this were a true story, they would undoubtedly end up in divorce court very quickly. Finally, the catchphrase, "Love means never having to say you're sorry"....???? Maybe I don't get it, but it seems to me the phrase totally flies in the face of everything we're told adult relationships are built upon. I couldn't finish this book quick enough so I could donate it and never have to think about it again. Yuck!more
This is a love story. A rich man, Oliver Barret, and a poor woman, Jenny Cavilleri, fell in love. Their first meeiting was in the library of the university, and soon they loved each other deeply. They dcided to marry, but Oliver's parents didn't admitted. So Oiver and Jenny lived together without Oliver's parents' help. The marriage life never advanced easily, but they ware happy because there was love in their life. But the end of this story is something sad... I think love is happiness, but is also very difficult. And I think their love is true. I felt like watching a drama about love when I read this story! So I think this story is something unreal. But I enjoyed this story. And I was moving the end..more
What can you say about a twenty-five year girl who died? That she was beautiful. And Brilliant. That she loved Mozart and Bach. And the Beatles. And me. loved this book. short, concise and utterly heartbreaking. i thought i'd end up mocking the story since i knew it would be some sort of cliched tearjerker - two people in love against all odds with the girl dying of an incurable disease. cliched or not, the story did make me cry (a lot), as i guess all great love stories tend to do.more
Excellent iconic love story from the 1970's.......great!more
In just a few words (like the story), this was too short. I did not feel a connection to the love between the characters or the characters. I thought it was a good story line, but it was so fast paced and short I felt no loss or sadness, nor romance. I liked it though, and wished it had been more detailed.more
"Love Story" is about a young, rich college jock attending Harvard University. He meets a pretty Radcliffe music student, Jenny, in the library one day, and develops a deep attraction for her despite her temper and continuous snide remarks - all aimed at him. The two fall in love, and after a rather boring and un-romantic proposal, they agree to get married. They live together happily, until it is discovered that Jenny's life is being threatened by cancer.The plot was not original or surprising, but it was put together well. It wasn't the love story contained in this book's pages that made me enjoy it so much - it was Segal's way of writing.His dry, lightly humorous style reminded me of Evelyn Waugh. I loved Oliver and Jenny's relationship - which is certainly not the usual star-crossed Hollywood romance. I really liked that about the book. Jenny was not described as some sort of goddess descended from heaven; she was simply an ordinary, pretty girl who worked in a library. Also, I loved the mock "romantic" scenes in which Jenny and Oliver's dialogue consists mainly of insults and jibes (most playful and even flirtatious, but some serious). Don't expect this book to really contain any romance - there is almost none. Yes, it is obvious that the characters care deeply for each other. But no one is swept off their feet. Even Oliver's proposal is the most un-romantic one that I have ever heard.But, I actually liked this aspect of the story. It allowed me to focus more on the characters, instead of on romantic sub-plots.I loved Jenny - main character Oliver's love interest. Though her lover is the one attending Harvard, she seems a level above him on the intelligence scale, and he is always losing battles and arguments with her because he can't keep up with her comebacks. She is snippy and sharp, but somehow likable.Oliver is one of those rich prep boys who has a roman numeral after his name. His father has entire buildings at Harvard named after him, and lives in a multi-million dollar home complete with servants who insist on calling Oliver "master." However, Oliver's attitude toward his elitist upbringing is that he never asked for it. An interesting side to his relationship with Jenny is that a part of why he loves her is that she is poor, and thus disapproved of by his family. She is an outlet for his rebellion.Oliver's father is a minor character, but I felt sympathetic for him even when our main character was not. I saw him as a strong, accomplished man who wanted the best for his son. His only flaw is that he more than a bit of a snob, and this has caused Oliver to become embittered against him.The characters in this book were well drawn and memorable, and I loved the dry humor and brief wording that Segal used.The only things that I did not enjoy about this book can be viewed as minor or colossal, depending on what type of book you wanted this one to be.First of all, (spoiler alert) Oliver does not seem very surprised when the doctor breaks to him the awful news: Jenny has cancer, and does not have very long to live. I would expect at least some amount of sorrow here. However, we only see Oliver feeling short of time. For example, he is desperate to take Jenny to fancy dinners and go out and do things, or give her a trip to Paris. But besides this, we are left in the dark as to what other feelings he is going through.Also, Oliver does not tell Jenny that she is sick for awhile. The exact reason for this is not given. How selfish! I was shocked by this, and liked Oliver a bit less for it.And lastly, I didn't feel as if Oliver and Jenny's relationship had seemed deep enough. Though there is not necessarily need for passionate exclamations of undying love and dramatic swooning, the two main characters here often seemed like mere best friends, or even brother and sister at times. I found myself thinking that they shouldn't have gotten married, because their relationship seemed to characterize an obsessive fling rather than a grounded, solid, lifelong love. And so, at the tragic ending of the book, apparently meant to be a tear jerker, I was unmoved. Oliver seemed sad, yes, but not devastated. I don't think that this is the proper response that a reader should have to an ending such as this.So, in short, I loved the characters and dry writing here, though the author fell short in terms of actual feeling and emotion.more
Love Story, by Erich Segal, is a book about two people who have nothing in common but love. I would rank this book 4 out of 5 stars.This book contains 144 pages. I like this book because it talks about young people who fall in love and face obstacles in their relationship in order to be happy. This book is about a jock and Radcliffe music major, who first meet in a library. Later on in the story, but start to talk and fall in love and decide to get married. Unfortunately, Jenny is rushed to the hospital because she has cancer and Oliver is by her side. In the end, Jenny dies, and Oliver cries because he can’t believe someone he truly loves is dead. I would recommend this book to people who fall in love with each other and need to face obstacles in order to be happy as a couple.more
It has been a long time since I was able to pick up a book and read it in a day (not necessarily a lack of shorter novellas in my library, but a lack of peace in the household and the freedom to just read). Love Story by Erich Segal broke my streak of 3 weeks spans between book completions.Yes, it is a story of love, and I am a chick and cried at the end. But not only is it filled with pain, it is filled with a true sense of love that makes the pain that much more difficult to bear. Given that the opening line of the novel is a huge spoiler to the rest of the story, and that within the last 20 pages, it is obvious what the ending will entail. I still found myself completely wrapped up in Oliver and Jenny's love, their banter with one another, though.more
Mildly agreeable, highly popular bittersweet college romance; reading it in Korea long after its initial burst of popularity, I was more struck by the emphasis on the hero's bad relationship with his father rather than his relationship with the heroine.more
Segal really knows how to pull strings and push buttons. A good "rich man, poor girl" romance. I did cry (didn't everyone?) - but sometimes I felt manipulated.more
I read this book within about 2-3 hours. Which says both that it is that easy a read and it is that good. Somehow I’ve gone through life without knowing well this story. Which is unusually sad and I bless the little old lady at the goodwill who told me I should read it for it would break my heart. It was excellent…and she was right, it was heartbreaking. It is, simply, a love story. One you should therefore be forced to read.more
It was good, loads better than the movie. I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty peeved that the doctor lied to Jenny at first and then, after being caught in the act, was like, "Oh, right, the truth... that thing. I might use it." The seventies, clearly a different time. Overall good book. don't regret reading it, will likely not reread it.more
It was good, loads better than the movie. I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty peeved that the doctor lied to Jenny at first and then, after being caught in the act, was like, "Oh, right, the truth... that thing. I might use it." The seventies, clearly a different time. Overall good book. don't regret reading it, will likely not reread it.more
Read all 23 reviews