Reviews

"Setea noastra de destin nu este nicaieri mai puternica decat in viata noastra romantica. Prea adesea fortati sa impartim patul cu cineva care nu ne intelege sufletul, nu putem fi oare iertati daca traim cu convingerea (contrar tuturor regulilor epocii noastre luminate) ca intr-o zi ne este scris sa intalnim femeia sau barbatul viselor noastre?"
"Criticii iubirii au avut intotdeauna indreptatite suspiciuni asupra fuziunii, asupra credintei ca diferentele dintre doi oameni pot fi sterse pana la punctul in care cei doi se contopesc intr-unul singur. Suspiciunea deriva din sentimentul ca este mai usor sa presupui similaritatea decat distinctia (ceea ce este familiar nu trebuie inventat) si ca in absenta dovezii contrariului, intotdeauna vom inventa ceea ce stim si nu ceeea ce nu stim si ne sperie. Ne indragostim pe baza unui material insuficient si ne completam ignoranta prin dorinta. Dar, asa cum subliniaza criticii, timpul va dovedii ca pielea care ne separa trupurile nu este numai o bariera fizica, ci un reprezentant al unor contradictii psihologice mai profunde, pe care ar fi o prostie sa incercam sa le transcedem ."

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4.0

I don't usually tend to like being told what and how to feel about characters in a story, but for a chance to feast on de Botton's mind whose philosophical discourses I am rather fond of, I made a concession. I am glad I did that as this little book turned out to be a rare thing of intellect and knowing that very accurately charts a fictional love story from its germination to its demise. With every forward step of this relationship growing and teetering, it treats you to little philosophical discourses on matters of heart and does so with gusto and succinctness.

The slimness of the volume hides the density of contemplation that comes distilled in nifty numbered paragraphs. The non-fiction and fiction discourses are seamlessly intertwined, and every time I found myself not-quite-ready-for-another treatise with a fresh chapter, de Botton would tease me in by making his fictional characters interact or behave or ruminate in such a vital, believable manner that I'd find myself deep in the conversation over a new nuance. He is disconcertingly and fiercely on-point with all the deceits and the privileges of being a couple, and his compelling discourses find their tonal complement in a believable fictional world. He somehow pulls off the impossible here: making you care for these make-believe people in the ridiculously small space he has to create them and breathe oxygen into them, all the while beckoning you to consider your values, your reasons and your choices to fall in love and to be a couple in little thought experiments of philosophy designed by him.