Course of Love : A Novel by Alain de Botton (2016, Hardcover)

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In Edinburgh, a couple, Rabih and Kirsten, fall in love. The Course of Love is a novel that explores what happens after the birth of love, what it takes to maintain love, and what happens to our original ideals under the pressures of an average existence.

About this product

Product Identifiers

PublisherSimon & Schuster

ISBN-101501134256

ISBN-139781501134258

eBay Product ID (ePID)219063781

Product Key Features

Book TitleCourse of Love : a Novel

Number of Pages240 Pages

LanguageEnglish

Publication Year2016

TopicContemporary Women, Romance / Contemporary, General, Literary

IllustratorYes

GenreFiction

AuthorAlain De Botton

FormatHardcover

Dimensions

Item Height0.9 in

Item Weight14.4 Oz

Item Length8.4 in

Item Width5.6 in

Additional Product Features

Intended AudienceTrade

LCCN2015-028864

Dewey Edition23

TitleLeadingThe

ReviewsPraise for The Architecture of Happiness : "De Botton has a marvelous knack for coming at weighty subjects from entertainingly eccentric angles." - The Seattle Times "An elegant book. . . . Unusual . . . full of big ideas. . . . Seldom has there been a more sensitive marriage of words and images." - The New York Sun "With originality, verve, and wit, de Botton explains how we find reflections of our own values in the edifices we make. . . . Altogether satisfying." - San Francisco Chronicle "De Botton is high falutin' but user friendly. . . . He keeps architecture on a human level." - Los Angeles Times, Advance Praise for The Course of Love : "The course of true love may not run smooth, but the storytelling certainly does in this wise, humane and irresistibly readable history of an appealingly nuanced relationship. De Botton deftly moves us through time, weaving in philosophical interludes that showcase his essayistic gifts, so that before we know it we have lived a whole life with these two, and they are just getting started. De Botton directs his ferocious intelligence at the most complex puzzle of all, and it seems that no intellectual or emotional problem surpasses his ability to solve it." -Matthew Thomas, New York Times -bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves, Advance Praise for The Course of Love : "The course of true love may not run smooth, but the storytelling certainly does in this wise, humane and irresistibly readable history of an appealingly nuanced relationship. De Botton deftly moves us through time, weaving in philosophical interludes that showcase his essayistic gifts, so that before we know it we have lived a whole life with these two, and they are just getting started. De Botton directs his ferocious intelligence at the most complex puzzle of all, and it seems that no intellectual or emotional problem surpasses his ability to solve it." -Matthew Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves "The Course of Love is a complete delight. Not surprisingly, I feel that Alain de Botton not only wrote it for me, but also that we must have been conversing on these subjects happily and deeply, privately or in my dreams." -Amy Bloom, New York Time s bestselling author of Away and Lucky Us, Praise for The Consolations of Philosophy : "Wonderfully original, quirky.... De Botton finds inspiration where others might fail to look." Newsday "An enjoyable read... In clear, witty prose, de Botton...sets some of [the philosophers'] ideas to the mundane task of helping readers with their personal problems.... The quietly ironic style and eclectic approach will gratify many postmodern readers." -- Publishers Weekly, Praise for How Proust Can Change Your Life : "Delightfully original.... As well as being criticism, biography, literary history, and a reader's guide to Proust's masterpiece, this is a self-help book in the deepest sense of the term." -- The New York Times "One of my favorite books of the year.... Seriously cheeky, cheekily serious." --Julian Barnes "Curious, humorous, didactic, and dazzling.... It contains more human interest and play of fancy than most fiction." -- John Updike, The New Yorker "A witty, elegant book that helps us learn what reading is for." -- Doris Lessing "A wonderful meditation on aspects of Proust in the form of a self-help book. Very enjoyable." -- Sebastian Faulks "Funny and very refreshing." -- San Francisco Chronicle, Praise for The Consolations of Philosophy : "Wonderfully original, quirky.... De Botton finds inspiration where others might fail to look." - Newsday "An enjoyable read... In clear, witty prose, de Botton...sets some of [the philosophers'] ideas to the mundane task of helping readers with their personal problems.... The quietly ironic style and eclectic approach will gratify many postmodern readers." - Publishers Weekly, Praise for How Proust Can Change Your Life : "Delightfully original.... As well as being criticism, biography, literary history, and a reader's guide to Proust's masterpiece, this is a self-help book in the deepest sense of the term." - The New York Times "One of my favorite books of the year.... Seriously cheeky, cheekily serious." -Julian Barnes "Curious, humorous, didactic, and dazzling.... It contains more human interest and play of fancy than most fiction." -John Updike, The New Yorker "A witty, elegant book that helps us learn what reading is for." - Doris Lessing "A wonderful meditation on aspects of Proust in the form of a self-help book. Very enjoyable." - Sebastian Faulks "Funny and very refreshing." - San Francisco Chronicle, Advance Praise for The Course of Love : "The course of true love may not run smooth, but the storytelling certainly does in this wise, humane and irresistibly readable history of an appealingly nuanced relationship. De Botton deftly moves us through time, weaving in philosophical interludes that showcase his essayistic gifts, so that before we know it we have lived a whole life with these two, and they are just getting started. De Botton directs his ferocious intelligence at the most complex puzzle of all, and it seems that no intellectual or emotional problem surpasses his ability to solve it." -Matthew Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves "The Course of Love is a complete delight. Not surprisingly, I feel that Alain de Botton not only wrote it for me, but also that we must have been conversing on these subjects happily and deeply, privately or in my dreams." -Amy Bloom, New York Time s bestselling author of Away and Lucky Us "The always-intriguing de Botton, who returns to fiction after 20 years and numerous nonfiction books, aims to answer the question, What is it like to be married for awhile? The answers are often funny but also quite moving, thought provoking, forgiving, and drenched in truth." - Booklist "Well-observed and imbued with a tenderness that feels authentic and uncynical. It may even save some marriages. My bet is that if de Botton's name were taken off this book it would be fêted by the sort of people who are in thrall to Milan Kundera and Adam Thirlwell. He wants us to feel less alone - and that's not such a bad thing." - Evening Standard (UK), Praise for On Love : "The Romantic Movement sheds light on the nature of relationships...The method of telling much and showing little produces a good deal of wit, cogency, and humor." -John Updike, The New Yorker "A reader gets whiffs of Donald Barthelme, Julian Barnes, Woody Allen...De Botton borrows exuberantly, and well, from forebears [and] therein lies the buoyant charm of this approach." - Lisa Zeidner, The New York Times Book Review "Smart and ironic...The success of On Love has much to do with its beautifully modeled sentences, its wry humor, and its unwavering deadpan respect for the reader's intelligence." - Francine Prose, The New Yorker, PRAISE FOR THE COURSE OF LOVE: " The Course of Love is a return to the form that made Mr. de Botton's name in the mid-1990s.... love is the subject best suited to his obsessive aphorizing, and in this novel he again shows off his ability to pin our hopes, methods and insecurities to the page." - The New York Times "There's no writer alive like de Botton, and his latest ambitious undertaking is as enlightening and humanizing as his previous works." - Chicago Tribune "[De Botton] analyzes Rabih's feelings, especially, with the finesse of a therapist--and in fact there is more than a whiff of the couch in this exemplary tale...Readers looking for insights and guidance will find plenty." -NPR "An engrossing tale [that] provides plenty of food for thought." - People (Best New Books pick) "The course of true love may not run smooth, but the storytelling certainly does in this wise, humane and irresistibly readable history of an appealingly nuanced relationship. De Botton deftly moves us through time, weaving in philosophical interludes that showcase his essayistic gifts, so that before we know it we have lived a whole life with these two, and they are just getting started. De Botton directs his ferocious intelligence at the most complex puzzle of all, and it seems that no intellectual or emotional problem surpasses his ability to solve it." --Matthew Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves "The Course of Love is a complete delight. Not surprisingly, I feel that Alain de Botton not only wrote it for me, but also that we must have been conversing on these subjects happily and deeply, privately or in my dreams." --Amy Bloom, New York Time s bestselling author of Away and Lucky Us "The always-intriguing de Botton, who returns to fiction after 20 years and numerous nonfiction books, aims to answer the question, What is it like to be married for awhile? The answers are often funny but also quite moving, thought provoking, forgiving, and drenched in truth." -- Booklist "Well-observed and imbued with a tenderness that feels authentic and uncynical. It may even save some marriages. My bet is that if de Botton's name were taken off this book it would be fted by the sort of people who are in thrall to Milan Kundera and Adam Thirlwell. He wants us to feel less alone -- and that's not such a bad thing." -- Evening Standard (UK), PRAISE FOR THE COURSE OF LOVE: " The Course of Love is a return to the form that made Mr. de Botton's name in the mid-1990s.... love is the subject best suited to his obsessive aphorizing, and in this novel he again shows off his ability to pin our hopes, methods and insecurities to the page." - The New York Times "There's no writer alive like de Botton, and his latest ambitious undertaking is as enlightening and humanizing as his previous works." - Chicago Tribune "[De Botton] analyzes Rabih's feelings, especially, with the finesse of a therapist--and in fact there is more than a whiff of the couch in this exemplary tale...Readers looking for insights and guidance will find plenty." -NPR "An engrossing tale [that] provides plenty of food for thought." - People (Best New Books pick) "The course of true love may not run smooth, but the storytelling certainly does in this wise, humane and irresistibly readable history of an appealingly nuanced relationship. De Botton deftly moves us through time, weaving in philosophical interludes that showcase his essayistic gifts, so that before we know it we have lived a whole life with these two, and they are just getting started. De Botton directs his ferocious intelligence at the most complex puzzle of all, and it seems that no intellectual or emotional problem surpasses his ability to solve it." --Matthew Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves "The Course of Love is a complete delight. Not surprisingly, I feel that Alain de Botton not only wrote it for me, but also that we must have been conversing on these subjects happily and deeply, privately or in my dreams." --Amy Bloom, New York Time s bestselling author of Away and Lucky Us "The always-intriguing de Botton, who returns to fiction after 20 years and numerous nonfiction books, aims to answer the question, What is it like to be married for awhile? The answers are often funny but also quite moving, thought provoking, forgiving, and drenched in truth." -- Booklist "Well-observed and imbued with a tenderness that feels authentic and uncynical. It may even save some marriages. My bet is that if de Botton's name were taken off this book it would be fêted by the sort of people who are in thrall to Milan Kundera and Adam Thirlwell. He wants us to feel less alone -- and that's not such a bad thing." -- Evening Standard (UK), Praise for The Architecture of Happiness : "De Botton has a marvelous knack for coming at weighty subjects from entertainingly eccentric angles." -- The Seattle Times "An elegant book. . . . Unusual . . . full of big ideas. . . . Seldom has there been a more sensitive marriage of words and images." -- The New York Sun "With originality, verve, and wit, de Botton explains how we find reflections of our own values in the edifices we make. . . . Altogether satisfying." -- San Francisco Chronicle "De Botton is high falutin' but user friendly. . . . He keeps architecture on a human level." -- Los Angeles Times, Praise for On Love : "The Romantic Movement sheds light on the nature of relationships...The method of telling much and showing little produces a good deal of wit, cogency, and humor." --John Updike, The New Yorker "A reader gets whiffs of Donald Barthelme, Julian Barnes, Woody Allen...De Botton borrows exuberantly, and well, from forebears [and] therein lies the buoyant charm of this approach." -- Lisa Zeidner, The New York Times Book Review "Smart and ironic...The success of On Love has much to do with its beautifully modeled sentences, its wry humor, and its unwavering deadpan respect for the reader's intelligence." -- Francine Prose, The New Yorker, Praise for How Proust Can Change Your Life : "Delightfully original.... As well as being criticism, biography, literary history, and a reader's guide to Proust's masterpiece, this is a self-help book in the deepest sense of the term." -- The New York Times "One of my favorite books of the year.... Seriously cheeky, cheekily serious." --Julian Barnes "Curious, humorous, didactic, and dazzling.... It contains more human interest and play of fancy than most fiction." --John Updike, The New Yorker "A witty, elegant book that helps us learn what reading is for." -- Doris Lessing "A wonderful meditation on aspects of Proust in the form of a self-help book. Very enjoyable." -- Sebastian Faulks "Funny and very refreshing." -- San Francisco Chronicle, Advance Praise for The Course of Love : " The Course of Love is a return to the form that made Mr. de Botton's name in the mid-1990s.... love is the subject best suited to his obsessive aphorizing, and in this novel he again shows off his ability to pin our hopes, methods and insecurities to the page." - The New York Times "The course of true love may not run smooth, but the storytelling certainly does in this wise, humane and irresistibly readable history of an appealingly nuanced relationship. De Botton deftly moves us through time, weaving in philosophical interludes that showcase his essayistic gifts, so that before we know it we have lived a whole life with these two, and they are just getting started. De Botton directs his ferocious intelligence at the most complex puzzle of all, and it seems that no intellectual or emotional problem surpasses his ability to solve it." --Matthew Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves "The Course of Love is a complete delight. Not surprisingly, I feel that Alain de Botton not only wrote it for me, but also that we must have been conversing on these subjects happily and deeply, privately or in my dreams." --Amy Bloom, New York Time s bestselling author of Away and Lucky Us "The always-intriguing de Botton, who returns to fiction after 20 years and numerous nonfiction books, aims to answer the question, What is it like to be married for awhile? The answers are often funny but also quite moving, thought provoking, forgiving, and drenched in truth." -- Booklist "Well-observed and imbued with a tenderness that feels authentic and uncynical. It may even save some marriages. My bet is that if de Botton's name were taken off this book it would be fêted by the sort of people who are in thrall to Milan Kundera and Adam Thirlwell. He wants us to feel less alone -- and that's not such a bad thing." -- Evening Standard (UK), Advance Praise for The Course of Love : " The Course of Love is a return to the form that made Mr. de Botton's name in the mid-1990s.... love is the subject best suited to his obsessive aphorizing, and in this novel he again shows off his ability to pin our hopes, methods and insecurities to the page." - The New York Times "An engrossing tale [that] provides plenty of food for thought." - People (Best New Books pick) "The course of true love may not run smooth, but the storytelling certainly does in this wise, humane and irresistibly readable history of an appealingly nuanced relationship. De Botton deftly moves us through time, weaving in philosophical interludes that showcase his essayistic gifts, so that before we know it we have lived a whole life with these two, and they are just getting started. De Botton directs his ferocious intelligence at the most complex puzzle of all, and it seems that no intellectual or emotional problem surpasses his ability to solve it." --Matthew Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of We Are Not Ourselves "The Course of Love is a complete delight. Not surprisingly, I feel that Alain de Botton not only wrote it for me, but also that we must have been conversing on these subjects happily and deeply, privately or in my dreams." --Amy Bloom, New York Time s bestselling author of Away and Lucky Us "The always-intriguing de Botton, who returns to fiction after 20 years and numerous nonfiction books, aims to answer the question, What is it like to be married for awhile? The answers are often funny but also quite moving, thought provoking, forgiving, and drenched in truth." -- Booklist "Well-observed and imbued with a tenderness that feels authentic and uncynical. It may even save some marriages. My bet is that if de Botton's name were taken off this book it would be fêted by the sort of people who are in thrall to Milan Kundera and Adam Thirlwell. He wants us to feel less alone -- and that's not such a bad thing." -- Evening Standard (UK), Praise for On Love : "The Romantic Movement sheds light on the nature of relationships...The method of telling much and showing little produces a good deal of wit, cogency, and humor." --John Updike, The New Yorker "A reader gets whiffs of Donald Barthelme, Julian Barnes, Woody Allen...De Botton borrows exuberantly, and well, from forebears [and] therein lies the buoyant charm of this approach." --Lisa Zeidner, The New York Times Book Review "Smart and ironic...The success of On Love has much to do with its beautifully modeled sentences, its wry humor, and its unwavering deadpan respect for the reader's intelligence." --Francine Prose, The New Yorker, Praise for The Consolations of Philosophy : "Wonderfully original, quirky.... De Botton finds inspiration where others might fail to look." -- Newsday "An enjoyable read... In clear, witty prose, de Botton...sets some of [the philosophers'] ideas to the mundane task of helping readers with their personal problems.... The quietly ironic style and eclectic approach will gratify many postmodern readers." -- Publishers Weekly

Dewey Decimal823.914

Synopsis" The Course of Love is a return to the form that made Mr. de Botton's name in the mid-1990s....love is the subject best suited to his obsessive aphorizing, and in this novel he again shows off his ability to pin our hopes, methods and insecurities to the page." -- The New York Times The long-awaited and beguiling second novel from Alain de Botton that tracks the beautifully complicated arc of a romantic partnership, from the internationally bestselling author of How Proust Can Change Your Life. De Botton's essay "Why You Will Marry the Wrong Person" ( The New York Times, May 28, 2016), which draws from The Course of Love, was the #1 most emailed article for days. We all know the headiness and excitement of the early days of love. But what comes after? In Edinburgh, a couple, Rabih and Kirsten, fall in love. They get married, they have children--but no long-term relationship is as simple as "happily ever after." The Course of Love is a novel that explores what happens after the birth of love, what it takes to maintain love, and what happens to our original ideals under the pressures of an average existence. You experience, along with Rabih and Kirsten, the first flush of infatuation, the effortlessness of falling into romantic love, and the course of life thereafter. Interwoven with their story and its challenges is an overlay of philosophy--an annotation and a guide to what we are reading. This is a Romantic novel in the true sense, one interested in exploring how love can survive and thrive in the long term. The result is a sensory experience--fictional, philosophical, psychological--that urges us to identify deeply with these characters and to reflect on his and her own experiences in love. Fresh, visceral, and utterly compelling, The Course of Love is a provocative and life-affirming novel for everyone who believes in love.

LC Classification NumberPR6054.E1324C68 2016