The History of Love

Jun 24, 2025 11:18 AM

Author:Nicole Krauss

The History of Love

Shortlisted for the Orange Prize for Fiction 2006 and winner of the 2006 Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger, The History of Love explores the lasting power of the written word and the lasting power of love. Published as a Penguin Essential for the first time.

'When I was born my mother named me after every girl in a book my father gave her called The History of Love. . . '

Fourteen-year-old Alma Singer is trying to find a cure for her mother's loneliness. Believing she might discover it in an old book her mother is lovingly translating, she sets out in search of its author.

Across New York an old man called Leo Gursky is trying to survive a little bit longer. He spends his days dreaming of the love lost that sixty years ago in Poland inspired him to write a book. And although he doesn't know it yet, that book also survived: crossing oceans and generations, and changing lives. . .

'Wonderfully affecting...brilliant, touching and remarkably poised' Sunday Telegraph

'A tender tribute to human valiance. Who could be unmoved by a cast of characters whose daily battles are etched on out mind in such diamond-cut prose?' Independent on Sunday

'Devastating...one of the most passionate vindications of the written word in recent fiction. It takes one's breath away' Spectator

Reviews

Excellent

—— Sunday Times

Enormously sophisticated, knowing, often very funny tragi-comedy

—— Financial Times

Fans of Jojo Moyes will love We Are All Made Of Stars

—— Good Housekeeping

What a lovely, utterly life affirming, heart-breaking book We Are All Made of Stars by Rowan Coleman is

—— Jenny Colgan

A beautiful web of a book that reminds us of how we are all connected, and how to die—and live—without regrets. Is that a tear in my eye? No, that's a tear in your eye...

—— Jodi Picoult , NYT bestselling author of Leaving Time

A beautiful story of aching sadness and boundless joy, sparkling with love, humour and humanity. I could not put it down.

WE ARE ALL MADE OF STARS is a stunning novel that somehow manages to deliver tears, laughter, inspiration and wonder in one compelling, breathless tale.

Profoundly moving and emotionally delicate, this is a wonderful story that will make you laugh, cry and fight for what you love with everything you have. Stunning.

—— Lucy Robinson

It's rare that a novel is as funny as it is gut-wrenchingly sad as it is ultimately uplifting. We Are All Made of Stars was all those things and more. It blew me away.

—— Katy Regan

Rowan's latest novel has true star quality: it'll make you think, make you cry, make you turn the pages, and, finally, make you glad to be alive. The Memory Book is one of my favourite books - but We Are All Made of Stars is even better. Moving, intelligent, thought-provoking and incredibly human.

—— Kate Harrison

...utterly wonderful, and my heart is overflowing on finishing it. It's tender, funny, heartbreaking and beautiful

—— Rachael Lucas

I immediately read The Memory Book and it's WONDERFUL ... I'm so happy because she's written other books and its so lovely to find a writer you love who has a backlist

—— Marian Keyes

bitter sweet, breathless and ultimately life-affirming

—— Mail on Sunday

Beautiful and moving

—— Fabulous

... a tender, poignant and hopeful novel

—— The Sunday Mirror

We Are All Made of Stars is an exceptional, beautifully-written, heartrending book that will stay with me for a very long time. Hugely moving - it made me want to wrap my arms around those I love and never let them go - and yet imbued with hope and life, it's the most incredible read. I felt bereft when it ended.

—— C. L. Taylor

A beautiful book... this is weepie-tastic.

—— Heat

A moving tale from the bestselling author of The Memory Book

—— Bella

Beautiful…just beautiful. Generous, warm-hearted, and courageous from start to finish. I adored everything about this book.

—— Julie Cohen

A bittersweet story about love and letting go, you'll remember these wonderfully affecting and very human characters long after you've turned the last page

—— The Sunday Express

A tear-jerking but ultimately uplifting story

—— Kirkus

One of my favourite writers

—— Cara Delevingne

A big, juicy family saga with warm humor and tragic twists...lively and engaging.

—— St. Louis Post-Dispatch

There is much to recommend this book...a pleasant summer read.

—— Roanoke Times

Good old-fashioned story-telling with a charming cast of characters

—— San Francisco Chronicle

The perfect read. Read it!

—— Elle Magazine

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