The last words of this haunting novel resonate like a pealing bell. "He fell in love. It was his life." This is the unofficial obituary of octogenarian Leo Gursky, a character whose mordant wit, gallows humor and searching heart create an unforgettable portrait. Born in Poland and a WWII refugee in New York, Leo has become invisible to the world. When he leaves his tiny apartment, he deliberately draws attention to himself to be sure he exists. What's really missing in his life is the woman he has always loved, the son who doesn't know that Leo is his father, and his lost novel, called The History of Love, which, unbeknownst to Leo, was published years ago in Chile under a different man's name. Another family in New York has also been truncated by loss. Teenager Alma Singer, who was named after the heroine of The History of Love, is trying to ease the loneliness of her widowed mother, Charlotte. When a stranger asks Charlotte to translate The History of Love from Spanish for an exorbitant sum, the mysteries deepen. Krauss (Man Walks into a Room) ties these and other plot strands together with surprising twists and turns, chronicling the survival of the human spirit against all odds. Writing with tenderness about eccentric characters, she 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.

Wow ! That is the only word that comes to mind when I think of that book. I completely and utterly fell in love with it and I can't pinpoint a particular point. Perhaps it was the writing style or maybe the story or the way life was seen by the various and wonderful characters or maybe even something else ! I just kept reading and reading and enjoying it even more ! This is a book that I'll have to share, it is simply incredible ! This is one of my best read of 2006 !!!

RELEASE NOTES:

From Liz' birthday WTH ALS to SandyDandy. Enjoy Sand !

Thanks Karin! This sounds like a very good read! :)