The History of Love

By: Nicole Krauss

Narrated by: George Guidall, Barbara Caruso, Julia Gibson, Andy Paris

Nicole Krauss' first novel, Man Walks Into a Room, was shortlisted for the Los Angeles Times Book Award and her short fiction has been collected in Best American Short Stories. Now The History of Love proves Krauss is among our finest and freshest literary voices.

It has been decades since Leo Gursky first surrendered his heart, then wrote a book about it, at the tender age of 10, and he's been in love with the same person ever since. Leo believes his book is lost to time, but what he doesn't know is, not only has it survived 60 years without him, it has also been an inspiration to others. Fourteen-year-old Alma was even named for a character from the book. When she realizes how deeply the story touched her lonely mother, she embarks on a search for answers.

The History of Love is an imaginative tale of love and loss that is at once funny, mysterious, and deeply passionate.

Don't miss Nicole Krauss and Salman Rushdie at The New Yorker Festival.©2005 Nicole Krauss (P)2005 Recorded Books, LLC

Critic reviews

"An intriguing books-within-a-book narrative....Venturing into Paul Auster territory in her graceful inquiry into the interplay between life and literature, Krauss is winsome, funny, and affecting." (Booklist)
"Writing with tenderness about eccentric characters, [Krauss] uses earthy humor to mask pain and to question the universe. Her distinctive voice is both plangent and wry, and her imagination encompasses many worlds." (Publishers Weekly)
"If for no other reason than the range of voices she has persuasively created, Ms. Krauss would stand out as a prodigious talent....Ms. Krauss's work is illuminated by the warmth and delicacy of her prose." (The New York Times)

Interesting story - a bit confusing at times

This novel has several narrators and a number of inter-related stories. I was drawn to this book because the town of Slonim (Belarus) is one of my ancestral towns, and some of the characters similarly emmigrated to Chile and the U.S., just as in my family. The separate, inter-related stories and characters were intriguing. However, it was just a tad confusing at times to keep them all straight! Worth the effort, and the resolution was satisfying.

Let me upset.

First it was hard to follow the book & I thought maybe I wasn't paying attention while listening. So I looked up the plot on Wiki.
Towards the end of the book it all started falling into place. Too many sub plots without closure.
The ending left me feeling empty & upset. If you're thinking about buying this book, don't. I recommend A Man Called Ove. It was much better.
I did give this book 5 stars for the performance because the readers were very entertaining.

Leo rocks

The man who read for Leo Gursky has to be one of my favorite narrators ever. He sounds like an old friend telling you about his day - he is a GREAT reader. I wasn't a huge fan of the story overall, but this guy was definitely worth listening to.

A Wonder

The History of Love requires some commitment. It is long and dense and worth every moment of your time. George Guidall brings the protagonist to life and lodges him in the heart, forever.

Breathtaking

Every so often, a book comes around that changes and moves you, and proves how powerful literature can be. Nicole Krauss' writing is so beautiful that I wished I had the written book in front of me so I could read her words over and over again. An incredible and intriguing story with probably the most powerful ending I have ever ever read. The narration is so well done, they have truly captured the essence of this gorgeous book. I had tears in my eyes when I went to buy this book for my family. Devastatingly beautiful.