The Lover's Dictionary

David Levithan has done it again: writing a book I couldn't put down, that is. The Lover's Dictionary has beautifully crafted wordplay that makes the reader feel the emotions of the unnamed male protagonist. Through the dictionary format and personalized definitions, Levithan's work includes all of the drama of a relationship with the hindsight of love already sour and the hurt for when it was fresh. 

The best way to sum-up the relationship discovered in this work comes from the letter P:

punctuate: v.

Cue the imaginary interviewer:

Q. So when all is said and done, what have you learned here? 

A: The key to a successful relationship isn't just in the words, it's the choice of punctuation. When you're in love with someone, a well-placed question mark can be the difference between bliss and disaster, and a deeply respected period or a cleverly inserted ellipsis can prevent all kinds of exclamations. {page 163}

 This book is  quick read, since few definitions last more than a page. The trick, however, is when reaching the end it compels one to go back and reread the text again, wishing for a different outcome for our beloved protagonist. 

Another definition I found particularly striking:

 x, n. 

Doesn't it strike you as strange that we have a letter in the alphabet that nobody uses? It represents one-twenty-sixth of the possibility of our language, and we let it languish. If you and I really, truly wanted to change the world, we'd invent more words that started with X. {page 203}

Beautiful word-play, Levithan. I look forward to your next contribution to literary society. 

Are We There Yet?

I. loved. this. book. Okay, it had a head start. There is something about David Levithan's writing style that draws me in every time. I can't just enjoy his writing. I have to stop, reread, love, reread again, read aloud to the doctor's waiting room, and shout it from rooftops. Nearly every chapter of his books has a quote that makes me stop and underline it (even in library books! I admit it!). Here, I've complied a few of them and you are welcome to view them. 


I think the most endearing part of this book is the reality of honesty vs love. The protagonists, brothers Elijah & Danny, are stuck in that rough patch of love between brothers. One of my favorite lines in the books is:

“Brothers are not like sisters,” he says. “They don’t call each other every week. The don’t have secret worlds to share. CAn you think of two brothers who are really, inseparably close? No, for brothers it’s a different set of rules. Like it or not, we’re held to the bare minimum. Will you be there for him if he needs you? Of course. Should you love him without question? Absolutely. But those are the easy things. Do you make him a large part of your life, an equal to a wife or a best friend. At the beginning, when you’re kids, the answer is often yes. But when you get to high school, or older? Do you tell him everything? Do you let him know who you really are? The answer is usually no. Because all these other things get in the way. Girlfriends. Rebellion. Work.” (192)

This quote sums up Danny and Elijah, who are separated by a few years and thousands of ideologies.  Danny, a driven executive in New York, and Elijah is a prep school Holden Caulfield-type that enjoys spending time wasting away with his friends. When their parents trick them into taking a trip to Italy together, long-seeded brother issues come to the surface.  


I think I especially enjoyed this book because of my trip to Italy in 2008. I liked hearing the boys talk about pieces of history that I've witnessed myself! The book was interesting because I could relate.


And because David Levithan's writing is phenomenal. 

welcome

If this nation is to be wise as well as strong, if we are to achieve our destiny, then we need more new ideas for more wise men reading more good books in more public libraries. These libraries should be open to all—except the censor. We must know all the facts and hear all the alternatives and listen to all the criticisms. Let us welcome controversial books and controversial authors. For the Bill of Rights is the guardian of our security as well as our liberty. -- John Fitzgerald Kennedy 


As an avid reader my whole life, I have spent my life both devouring and savoring books. I'm now going to bring that into the world by sharing my life in books with anyone who wishes to read. Please pull a chair up to the table and feast along with me. No censoring, just my honest-to-goodness opinion about books and book related things. Feel free to comment!