Best Love Story of All Time

[susanprice]

Mea Culpa, Kelby! You are correct, To Kill a Mockingbird is not a Love Story in the sense that it is not about the love between a man and a woman (or woman and woman, man and man). Therefore, I change my "vote" to Persuasion, another of Jane Austen's wonderful love stories.

[islandclimber]

"Tess of he D'Urbevilles" by Thomas Hardy.. Though excessively tragic... it is still a beautiful love story.. and one that inspires many tears..

[Mockingbird_z]

Antony and Cleopatra, why not?

[Lulim]

My favourite love story is between Will Ladislaw and Dorothea Casaubon in Middlemarch: The way he adores and loves her just the way she is and how she gradually realizes that she loves him because he doesn't restrict her in any way. And yes, I know, the book is not a proper love story, actually; it contains much more than that …

[Mockingbird_z]

O.Henry The Gift of the Magi =)

[Negar]

Without doubt Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

[bounty]

i wouldnt call either of the books im about to mention "love stories" in the strictest sense but they are what come to mind nevertheless...

i am a big fan of hardy, austen and bronte who seem to be mentioned often but...

its been many years since ive read it---i remember being struck by the incredible dangers the male characters faced in dracula, for the love they had for the women in the book (particularly lucy if i remember rightly).

i also remember enjoying agnes' love for david copperfield after his first wife, dora, died.

[bounty]

Two books I've been meaning to read, but have yet to do so. I do love Dickens, though. So far, Great Expectations has been my favorite. I received the Masterpiece Theatre version DVD for Christmas. I still haven't watched that! Shame on me.

I, too, love Jane Austen, the Brontes, and Thomas Hardy.

My favorite love story is Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights and Thomas Hardy is one of my all time favorite authors. I'm on a quest to read everything he ever wrote, even his poetry. I have a long way to go with that, but am anticipating loving the journey as I've loved all of his writing so far.

hi antiquarian---im a big dickens fan also and have pretty much enjoyed everything of his ive read. have you read a tale of two cities yet? i can put that book into a similar sort of way i gave in my post above---its not a love story proper but when it gets right down to the very end, what one of the former rivals does is incredibly powerful.

i enjoy hardy quite a bit too. i think tess was my first hardy novel---probably because i used to like nastassia kinski!

yes---you must read david copperfield and dracula! smiles...

[bounty]

I hate to admit it, but I haven't read A Tale of Two Cities, either, but it's high on my list to read, as is David Copperfield. One I love is Bleak House.

I love everything about the writing of Dickens and Thomas Hardy, especially Thomas Hardy. I love his tragedy and bleakness, probably because he does it so well. If I had to choose one all time favorite author, it would definitely be Thomas Hardy, though I think Tolstoy's Anna Karenina is my all time favorite book.

Since you're a big fan of Dickens, you might like the book I just finished - The Quincunx. It took me a long time to read it, but it was worth it. It's very reminiscent of Bleak House and the author even chose "John Huffam," Dickens' middle names, as the name for his protagonist.

ive got a small handful of dickens' and hardy books at home, still unread, bleak house being among them. maybe i'll make a point of reading it this summer. i read hard times not too long ago. although, ive also got anna karenina at home too, and since youre saying its your all time favorite, perhaps i'll give that one a shot first. smiles...

ive not heard of quincunx, i'll keep my eyes peeled for it...thank you.

[islandclimber]

I love that one, too, islandclimber. I think it's my favorite Thomas Hardy novel.

mine as well... "Jude the Obscure" is just far too sad and tragic, and hopelessly depressing... and his other works, though amazing, just don't quite stand up to these two... Though "The Mayor of Castorbridge" is wonderful... and "Far From the Madding Crowd" is one of my favourites because it is so light hearted, and not so tragic, even has moments of comedy... as well, I don't know about you, but I find his short works to be completely overlooked and underrated... they are great.. same with his poetry... he is just an exceptionally versatile writer...

[islandclimber]

I think The Quincunx was published about ten years ago. Maybe more. But when it was published, it made quite a stir in the literary world. It's a neo-Victorian mystery on the order of Bleak House. Set mainly in Victorian London and revolving around five branches of a family, a purloined will, a suppressed codicil, and lots and lots of mystery. I finally finished it last night, so no more long books for me for awhile. I need a break. LOL

I highly recommend the Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of Anna Karenina. I think their translations are so much more readable.

I do like the Pevear and Volokhonsky translations of Russian works... I have all their translations of Dostoevsky as well as AK and several others... but sometimes I just like to slip back into the comfortable Victorian style of a Constance Garnett translation... I just find she has a certain power, and stylistic approach that suits the time period... Overall I do like Pevear and Volokhonsky much more, but on occasion reading a Garnett translation can be quite wonderful...

[ksotikoula]

Mine is Jane Eyre all the way. Unforgettable heroes and a love story that combines romantic love with sexuality. Who can resist that?

Ps: you should also have made this question a poll. It would be easier to see the results.

[hoope]

Without doubt Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I was gonna say that .. diffinately Jane & Rochester..

i can also say Edward & Bella in Twilight

[Emil Miller]

I was gonna say that .. diffinately Jane & Rochester..

i can also say Edward & Bella in Twilight

Hoope,

For God's sake don't confuse Jayne Eyre with Twilight.

Love you anyway.

[Scheherazade]

Hoope,

For God's sake don't confuse Jayne Eyre with Twilight.

y not? Cuz Jane Eyre can't come NEwhere close 2 Twilight's gr8ness?