Here’s a list of favorite “love stories.” And seeing as I find most love stories redundant, sappy, and ridiculous, this list is a not for the dime store paperback novel lovers of the world.
End of the Affair, by Graham Greene. See love, see love hurt, see love die, see love torment.
Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte. Heathcliff’s speech as Catherine dies resonates in any warm blooded human being’s veins.
Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexander Dumas. Vengeance and love. Bring it.
Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. Dagny Taggert and Francisco d’Anconia, Dagny Taggert and Hank Rearden, Dagny Taggert and John Gault…It’s Ayn Rand, what do you expect?
For Whom the Bell Tolls, by Ernest Hemmingway. The earth doesn’t just move for Robert Jordan in this doomed classic.
Possession, by A.S. Byatt. Love transcends as a constant…disaster…but we can’t help it, and, really, don’t want to.
The Silver Pigs, by Lindsay Davis. A Roman Empire era Phillip Marlowe nearly gets killed by a woman and then falls in love with her. Classic.
Resurrection, by Leo Tolstoy. Redemption for bourgeois arrogance and the journey towards enlightenment. For the historical and socio-political savvy Valentine’s Day reader.
Written on the Body, by Jeanette Winterson. If you don’t shed a tear on the pages of this book, then you need to check for a pulse.
Women in Love, by D.H. Lawrence. I was told to put this on the list. Threatened actually.
Moveable Feast, by Ernest Hemmingway. Who said a love story can’t be between a person and a place? See Moffett buy a one way ticket to Paris.
Tale of Two Cities, by Charles Dickens. Live, learn, love, and die. I’m starting to see a theme here…
ANYTHING by Pablo Neruda. Don’t ask. Just read. Preferably not in public.
If I left one off that you feel should be included, please let me know.
Otherwise, for other favorites, check out the Washington Post’s list from a Book World blog exchange here.
9 responses so far ↓
1 Kelley // Feb 14, 2008 at 9:20 am
Just wanted to wish you a Happy CHOCOLATE…ahhh…umm…sigh…Valentine’s Day.
I hope you have a wonderful day full of lurve and CHOCOLATE!!!! Even if it’s not your favorite (and psst…remember you can always pass your extras on to me.)
2 Kelley // Feb 14, 2008 at 9:21 am
And okay, Wuthering Heights, yes. But I’m a sappy sap. Anything Jane Austen for me, please.
3 Mindy Withrow // Feb 14, 2008 at 12:51 pm
THANK YOU for including Wuthering Heights–sorry, Janeites, but I’m so tired of Austen winning out over Bronte on such lists. Heathcliff over Darcy any day!
Speaking of doomed passion, how about Anna Karenina?
4 Sarah Moffett // Feb 14, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Kelley~consider all my chocolate yours and yours alone…now you’ll just have to convince anyone who knows me to give me chocolate in the first place.
Minday~Preach on anti-Janeites. Emily’s one and only takes a woman’s heart places no Darcy ever could. Good call on Tolstoy’s War and Peace sequal.
5 Mindy Withrow.com » Blog Archive » Clippings 9: I heart my readers // Feb 14, 2008 at 5:17 pm
[…] Moffett lists her favorite “love stories,” including at least one of mine (curious? see my comment […]
6 Linda // Feb 14, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Ah, some great stories here. ATLAS SHRUGGED, by far one of my favorite stories of all time, love or otherwise. Dagny T was my first heroine - oneoptugh but vulnerable broad. But you left off my very favorite love story - and movie - THE GARDEN OF THE FINZI-CONTINIS. Bellissimo! Both the book and the flick will have you bawling. And, it’s Italian! Il Grand Amore! Perfetto mundo! And so sad…
7 Linda // Feb 14, 2008 at 7:42 pm
ughhh.. missed that typo - should be one tough broad (new glasses, bifocals).
8 Jarod // Feb 15, 2008 at 11:48 am
Valentine’s Day, Smalentines Day, I say!
9 Whisky Prajer // Feb 17, 2008 at 9:18 am
A belated happy Valentine’s Day, Ms. M. So far as love stories go, the best I’ve (re)read recently is Charlotte’s Web. All these years later, I still have trouble regaining my composure after the fair.
Leave a Comment