Love Story · Oliver's Story

Author: Erich Segal
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1997-06-01
Features: Oliver, a scion of a prominent family, and Jenny, the daughter of a pastry chef, become friends due to a language conflict. They defy class barriers and marry, living an ordinary life they had longed for. However, leukemia takes Jenny's life. After his wife's death, Oliver faces the love of Marcie. How will he handle it? Love Story is an easy-to-read novel published in 1970. Over twenty years later, it remains timeless. It has been translated into twenty-three languages and has sold over twenty million copies. It topped the New York Times bestseller list for seven consecutive months. In 1977, Segal wrote a sequel titled Oliver's Story. The publication record of the book is incomplete. I first encountered Love Story during the late Cultural Revolution. It was published together with another novel, The Gilded Gull of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, under the title Two American Novels. The book was intended for criticism, so it came with a typical lengthy critique. My friend and I immediately fell in love with the novel. We admired its fresh and lively language and its effortless narration—it was a breath of fresh air. Two years ago, I bought another translation, but it didn't feel as satisfying to read. A few days ago, while visiting Shanghai Book City, I came across this book. I flipped through it and was moved by the line, "A girl died at the age of twenty-five," so I quickly bought it. Beyond the story itself, reading this novel teaches us about narrative techniques. It rarely uses temporal or spatial shifts, instead sticking to a straightforward chronological order, which makes the story flow smoothly. It has suspense—the opening line itself creates it—but its suspense stems from the reader's concern for the protagonists' fates, not from mere trickery. The novel has a satisfying beginning and end. It contains unforgettable quotes: "Love is when you don't have to say you're sorry." Even more remarkable is how close it stays to the perspectives and language of young people. Its humor and emotional depth are truly impressive. Even bestsellers can be so well-crafted.