The book's success has much to do with its beautifully modelled sentences, its wry humour and its unwavering deadpan respect for its reader's intelligence . . . full of keen observation and flashes of genuine lyricism, acuity and depth.
- Francine Prose, author of <i> The Vixen </i> and<i><i> <i> Lovers at the Chameleon Club </i></i></i>,
Witty, funny, sophisticated, neatly tied up, and full of wise and illuminating insights
The Spectator
De Botton is a national treasure.
- Susan Hill, author of <i>The Woman in Black</i>,
I doubt if de Botton has written a dull sentence in his life.
The New Statesman
Single-handedly, de Botton has taken philosophy back to its simplest and most important purpose: helping us to live our lives
The Independent
It's a familiar tale but there is nothing predictable about de Botton's explanation of how love enthrals us all. This is no light romance but a sort of "<i>When Harry Met Sally</i> meets Roland Barthes". . . A novel of wit and insight; whatever the state of your love life, it will make entertaining and sometimes painful, sometimes profitable reading
Time Out