Rating: 4 stars
Love. There have been many songs, movies, books and plays that revolve around this central theme. And while it is an impossible task to distill the exact components of love, especially when it can mean different things to different people, Natasha Lunn has done a splendid job of doing just that. Natasha interviewed notable authors, journalists and academics on what love means to them, and has managed to collate a collection of conversations that represent a great diversity of people.
The chapters are fairly short and Natasha also summarises each conversation to delineate the salient points. She often also starts a chapter with her own personal experience which helps anchor the book and adds a personal touch. I found the beginning third of the book more relevant to me as I am yet to experience marriage or parenthood. Natasha's conversation with author, Ayisha Malik, was one of my favourites. It can be hard not to buy into the idea that the only form of love worth having is romantic love when we are seemingly bombarded with such an idea any time we turn on the TV. But Malik proposes that love can be found in various places whether that's friendship or in one's faith.
The only reason this wasn't a 5 star read for me is that I found myself getting bored towards the end of it. I think this was more of a personal issue as I couldn't relate to later themes. I borrowed this book from the library but will likely buy my own copy soon as I would love to have it as a reference for the future.
Overall, an extremely insightful read and one that left me with greater appreciation for love in all its forms. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a diverse look at love and what role it plays in our lives.
Most Memorable Quote:
We tend to be afraid of the wrong things and overlook the real things we should be afraid of. We’re afraid of ghosts, but we’re not that afraid of how short our lives are, or that we’ve neglected our true talents.