wndrlst

BOOK OF THE DAY: The Lover’s Dictionary by David Levithan 

Effortlessly brilliant, David Levithan has composed a uniquely formatted plot, where he unfolds the relationship between a nameless narrator and their partner in the style of dictionary entries.

Although there are no chapters in The Lover’s Dictionary, Levithan introduces each page with a new word offering a glimpse into the intimate world of a couple and the heartbreak, which proceeds. 

Levithan’s words are honest and heartfelt. His cleverly composed dictionary entries cover all the emotions and circumstances, which erupt in a relationship: from insecurities, anger, tenderness, romance, comfortability, and cheating. 

Poetic and bittersweet, Levithan’s language is beautiful and evocative. Since the dictionary entries are not presented in chronological order, piecing the relationship adds to the dimension of creativity Levithan establishes. When asked about his nonlinear presentation Levithan sincerely commented:

"I loved writing in a nonlinear way. Because it feels to me like a more accurate way of how we recount relationships. They never come back to us as a narrative, told beginning-middle-end. Whether it’s over or ongoing, we remember it in flashes. Different moments from the past hit us at different moments in the present. So when the narrator sits down to recount the relationship to the lover, it makes sense to me that the relationship would appear to him in this way, with the words as the catalyst for the memories, and the memories adding up to the truth."

A quick read, we recommend you open The Lover’s Dictionary during your morning commute, in between classes or when you are simply seeking inspiration. If you are anything like us, we will find over 50% of your book highlighted. 

Read excerpts from the book here! Get the book here!

College students with an .edu email address click here!