The Notebook

Can you say tear-jerker?  The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks is a contemporary story that faces too many people today – living for the past because the present isn’t in focus anymore.  The story goes from a infatuation, love, missed love, and to the present. Noah and Allie meet during a summer high school love affair, but from two different sides of the “tracks” the story is captured in a book, we find out later on by Noah, 50+ years later reminiscing about his attraction and subsequent love for Allie who now suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.  Circa their early love affair, it is broken up by her mother who will not allow the two young love birds to be together because of the socio-econmic divide.  Allie’s mom seems to have been successful, as Noah later goes to the war (WWII) and his return brings him to restore old homes.  Allie reads a story about him 14 years after their separation; even though she is engaged to be married (does one ever forget their first love?).  Their attraction still remains! When Allie’s mom finds out about it she tries one more time to separate the two, but in the end she in fact draws them closer (how about those love letters that Noah wrote to Allie that Mom hid for oh so long… that’s the clincher, huh?).  Fast forward to this love story being told to the woman who lived it and can’t remember.  If you have no human emotion this book will not have any meaning. If you ooze the sad but true realities that we face as we get old, or even when we are young and reflect on the one that got away, you should be moved.  Sparks is criticized for writing “sappy books” but if you are in the mood to get a good emotional high/low, this one is for you.  Can you say “Chick Flick?”  Tell your significant other to read this and they will see how much you love them.  I didn’t feel it was over the top, but you need to be in the mood.  Please don’t confuse this with Gone with the Wind or East of Eden.  A contemporary read for sure.