Love Story: Erich Segal

I first came to know about Erich Segal's Love Story from a friend of mine, who was really crazy about this book. I wondered whats so unique about this book which differentiates it from other love stories!. Well, the opening statement itself had answer for all my queries:

" What can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died? That she was beautiful and brilliant. That she loved Mozart and Bach. The Beatles. And me.”

This beautiful introduction says all about the plot; that it's a wonderful romantic story,yet a tragic one.

The story revolves around Oliver Barret IV, a rich Harward guy and Jennifer Cavilleri, a middle class music student. Opposites in nearly every way Ollie and Jenny, fell in love and built up a sweet life of their own, against all odds. However destiny had some other plans for them. One day, out of the blue, came death and separates them forever...

The plot is simple and is not the one that we haven’t heard before. But the way Erich Segal narrates it, makes Love Story to be the novel that defined a generation then..and now.

The author has really succeeded in making readers live with Oliver & Jenny, feeling their love and pain. There was a lump in my throat while reading the final pages. I was trying hard to hold back my tears, but failed very badly. Once I finished reading, the signature line of the story, spoken twice in the story by Oliver & Jenny persisted in my heart with an unknown pain.

"Love means, never having to say you are sorry".

I bet, once you start reading, you wont be able to let the book down until you turn the last page. You would be astonished seeing yourself full of tears.

Grab a copy of this book if you are in love, or was in love, or hopes to be in love.
:)

~aThi@~

..::..Eleven Minutes..::..

Ever since I have read 'The Alchemist', I am an ardent fan of Paulo Coelho. So when I came to know that a friend of mine is having the book Eleven Minutes, I was dying to read it. But to my surprise,she handed me the book in such a secret manner, just like we were exchanging drugs or weapons. However going through the summary at the back page, I understood why she behaved in such a strange manner.

Eleven minutes is all about a Brazilian girl Maria, the protagonist. At a very young age, she experienced the bitterness of love and concluded that love gives only pain and frustration. Given a chance, she moved on to Switzerland, for she had dreams of finding fame and fortune. She started her career as a dancer in night club, but finally ends up as a prostitute, as she finds it as an easy way of money making. Soon she grew into a professional prostitute and finds that the amount of time spent actually having sex is about eleven minutes. Her world revolved around something that took eleven minutes!

Maria's life turns into a different path when she meets Ralf, a young painter who sees her "inner light". Soon she realizes the true love, with no possessiveness for Ralf. Finally she had to decide whether to continue with her work or live with Ralf, the love she was always looking for.

'Eleven Minutes' is quite different from the so-called Paulo Coelho formula of writing. The author itself says that the subject is harsh, difficult and shocking. He has explored the soul of a prostitute, her sexual encounters and her professional & personal frustrations.

Coelho used the character of Maria to express the sensitive matter ‘sacred nature of sex and love’ in its best philosophical way. I do think that it needs courage to explore such a subject, as the author had even made the character Maria to experience the pleasures of sadomasochism.

I guess Eleven minutes will be digestible only to those who just don't raise their eyebrows on hearing the theme and are ready to think out of the standardized framework. For those who are ready to move out of the box, I wish a wonderful time reading this book.

The Alchemist

The Brazilian writer Paulo Coelho is well known for his philosophical and spiritual writings. The Alchemist is his first book in my collection. Though I have read many of his books, none could catch my heart like 'The Alchemist'.

The story is all about Santiago,an Andalusian shepherd boy who sees a recurring dream about a treasure under the pyramids of Egypt. Trying to interpret the dream he meets an old man Melchizedek,who claims to be the king of Salem. He sets the boy off on his journey to discover his personal legend. The boy meets the title character of this story the alchemist from the oasis,who teaches him about the importance of listening to ones heart. Finally Santiago realizes that the treasure is not under the pyramids but it's buried under the abandoned church in Spain,from where he had seen the dream.

The story teaches us that every treasure lies in our own heart and there is no need to search for it in the outside world.

There are many inspirational quotes throughout the story, out of which my favorite is " If you wish something truly,the whole universe conspires in your favor": said by the old king. However I found the words of alchemist :" Don't think about what you have left behind, everything is written in the soul of the world and there it will stay forever" as an apt message for everyone, who regrets about the past.

The author really succeeded in grabbing the attention of the readers throughout the story. Unlike his other books, boredom was something that I didn't experience at all. I suggest everyone to read this wonderful book as it inspires us to follow our dream.

~aThi@~