Book Review

This weekend I read "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss.

This is a beautiful book. The majority of the book centers around two people, Leo Gursky and Alma Singer.

Leo is a Polish Jew who managed to escape the Nazis during World War II. Before the war he wrote a book for the woman he loved Alma. Alma left for America before the war and Leo tried to make his way to her but the war interfered. He left his manuscript with a trusted friend and believed that it did not survive. He talks about his daily life and obsessions as he nears death.

Alma Singer is a 15 year old girl who was named after the character in a book called The History of Love. Her mother has been in a state of constant grieving since the death of Alma's father seven years earlier. Alma also has to deal with her younger brother Bird who believes he is the Messiah. She struggles with the memories of her father and the grief her mother feels. When a mysterious stranger asks her mother to translate The History of Love into English, Alma becomes suddenly intrigued by the woman she is named for.

The book is full of twists and turns as Leo and Alma try to find meaning in their lives. Each main character has their own voice. Krauss does a fantastic job making each characters soliloquy stand out. There is no confusion over who is talking, but for those who might have trouble at the top of each chapter is a symbol that represents the character that is speaking in the chapter. Sadly there is no happy ending, just a beautiful reminder that life is what it is and that you can't live it in the past.

I think this is probably the best book I have read so far this year. You can find The History of Love at Barnes and Noble or your local library.