The Discreet Pleasures of Rejection

This book is not exactly a Valentine's Day book.

Here's the premise:

Virgil comes home from work one day to a message on his answering machine-his girlfriend is breaking up with him. This news should be devastating, but instead it's deeply troubling, because Virgil doesn't know the woman and doesn't have any memory of being in a relationship with her. The event sends Virgile into a tailspin of unrelenting self-analysis, causing him to question his memory, his sanity, even his worth as a lover.

As I said, not exactly a Valentine's Day book. But, since I picked up the package from Penguin on the morning of Valentine's Day and since Will and I decided to spend part of the Valentine's Day afternoon enjoying books and lattes at a coffee shop, I cracked open the cover and started to read. It was either Virgil's existential crisis or studying for the Multi-state Professional Responsibility Exam. And, let's be honest, just about anything beats studying for the Multi-state Professional Responsibility Exam.

That is how I ended up reading half the book on Valentine's Day and then, putting off studying for another few hours, finished it off the next morning, cozy in bed on a school holiday.

I should warn you now: I am biased. I throughly enjoyed this book, cover to cover, but I'm decidedly partial to this story for the following reasons:

One: The book is quirky. I like my movies, my men, my friends, my coats, and especially my books to be quirky. I've had entirely too much conventionality in 30 years to spend time reading yet another common story (you know the ones I mean, the books whose covers have certain stale elements: high heels, shopping bags, and/or long, sexy legs). This is not a common story.

Two: The book is very Woody Allen, a self-conscious sort of comedy. Our hero is eccentric, neurotic, charmingly odd. He wears the same corduroy pants and V-neck sweater every day, watches only black and white films, and uses the same Bic pen. The character study is simply superb: light enough to be entertaining, substantial enough to be satisfying.

Three: The book is set in Paris. And not just set in Paris, but well-stocked with snapshots of Paris: rain falling on the boulevard de Strasbourg, baskets of croissants, benches along the avenues. Virgil attends parties in Paris apartments and meets friends at cafés and walks to work past the Louvre. I love Paris and I love that Virgil loves Paris and that, clearly, our author loves Paris as well.

A quirky character reacquainting himself with the idea of living while walking the streets of Paris? Perhaps not such a bad Valentine's Day read after all. Yes, not so bad, and, in fact, quite delightful.

Thanks to the very generous folks at Penguin, I'm giving away a copy of the book. To enter to win, just leave a comment below telling me your all-time favorite love story. Or, if you prefer, your all-time favorite break up story. Movie, book, play, true-life tragedy--your call. I'll random draw a winner at 5PM on Wednesday, February 24.

Update: the random number generator generated the lovely Kayla as our winner! Congrats!

Comments

[CathyHW]

I think my favorite love story is "Bid Time Return" by Robert Matheson, which is strange for me, since I'm not really a science fiction fan. I highly recommend it, though!

[Hope]

I love quirky, Woody Allen and Paris. This book sounds awesome.

My all-time favorite romantic comedy is While You Were Sleeping. I can't decide on my favorite love story. There are just so many! All time favorite break up story has to be Medea. That chica went craaaaazy!

[Pamela]

My favorite love story is an unconventional but timeless one: "Up A Road Slowly" by Irene Hunt. I read it for the first time in junior high and continue to read it every few years because in the end, after she grows up and realizes who she is, Julie ends up with the right one.

[Jodie]

I don't really have a favourite love story or break up story...But I do love reading your blog, seeing your pictures (which r beautiful btw and happy belated bday) and learning some new, girly, pink related things :)

[Kayla Smith]

I'd like to win this book. I'm on a mission to read three 'fun' books at least by the end of winter quarter. So I have one of each.
1. Favorite love story: Jim and Pam from The Office. Their relationship and love seems so real and the way they look at each other whether from across the office desk or from the boat at which they got married, you see the true love in their eyes.
2. Favorite break up story: The boy who let me get away for no good reason at all. Out of no where it came and it went. From love to break up.

Pick me pick me!

[Mary]

(one of my) favorite love story(ies): Tuck Everlasting.

[Lauren]

A new favorite of mine "The Wedding" by Nick Sparks...oh and Hi!!

[katelin]

i think one of my favorite love stories would be "q&a", the book that "slumdog millionaire" was based on. the love in that book is just so touching.

[Bruce Small]

My favorite love story movie is From Noon Til Three. Odd, quirky, strange, and romantic, with the married Charles Bronson and Jill Ireland. The song at the end sums it up perfectly (available on YouTube).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4-7buIi7fc&feature=related

[Laura]

This book sounds like my kind of book! I am one for the unconventional.
My favorite love story, or I suppose it falls under the break up story category, is 500 days of summer! I love the dynamic and it is incredibly uplifting in the end because she learns that love is real. Not to mention, the happy IKEA scene is completely adorable!

[Katie]

My favorite love story is 'Benny & Joon.' While they are not the most normal characters - nor mentally stable - they still find each other fascinating and I think that's what real love. Real love is finding someone who keeps you interested for life.

[Erin]

My all-time favorite love story is.. my own!
http://www.erinintherealworld.com/2008/10/you-shook-me-all-night-long-love-story.html

[Tracy]

A favorite love story movie of mine is Fools Rush In.

[Liz]

My favorite love story: The Time Traveler's Wife

[lynie]

because I find she leads such a fantastic life and I like hot pink kitchenAid appliances, my favourite love story would be Holly and Sean's over at http://www.nothingbutbonfires.com I swear it's not a plug. she doesn't even know me; I lurk (just like I do this site!)

[Wilda Wallace]

My favorite love story is your story. The store of William and Janet. From beginning to the present. Everyday an adventure, at least in my mind. Your story is my absolute favorite because it shall never end. It makes me feel good about being me. I say this because my part was making making the man. At the very least it was making the boy that turned into the man, that fell in love with you and became part of the all time love story of the both of you. I'm sorry I tend to ramble and not make much sense. But I would love to read the book.

[Elizabeth]

One of my favorite love stories is the movie "You've Got Mail"!! Maybe they should do a Part 2, and instead of AOL, use Twitter?

[Brooke]

When Harry Met Sally. I love that she is so repulsed by him for so long only to fall in love with him years later. The scene where he tells her that she loves him... and about the wrinkle on her forehead and through her tears she tells him she hates him... I LOVE the way she says that... even though she loves him.

OR favorite breakup - Bridget Jones telling Daniel Clever that his offer isn't quite good enough for her!