Shop Menu

Competition: Win The Curious History of Love

To celebrate Valentine’s Day, today we’re giving away a copy of The Curious History of Love, which details the history of love in all its forms.

The one emotion that matters most to many people is the one about which social thinkers rarely speak – love. For many people, love is the thing that matters most in their lives: they are searching for love, hoping to find in love a kind of happiness that they cannot find in their work or by surrounding themselves with material goods. But where does this peculiar and powerful blending together of love and happiness come from, and why do we find it such a compelling idea today?  Written by one of France’s leading sociologists, this highly readable book sheds new light on love and happiness and will resonate with many readers.

To win this stunning book, all you have to do is list the greatest love story you have ever read below in the comments! The winner will be chosen at random on Thursday and announced in our lunchtime Facebook post.

, , ,

55 Responses to Competition: Win The Curious History of Love

  1. Johann February 14th, 2012 at 8:37 am #

    Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov

  2. kellyansara February 14th, 2012 at 8:37 am #

    One Day by David Nichols… This story is fraught with woe and love (even the bad kind) the kind that you fall for when you don’t know any other kind of love and it twirls your future and tramples your heart.

    Dex and Emma always knew they loved each other, but it was fear that stood in their way. Maybe not just fear but a fear that their love would be too big for them to handle. So they grow up and David Nichols takes you on this journey of love, not only the romantic kind, but the kind you have with friends (Dex and Em) as well as family (Dexter’s Sick mother). Let’s not forget the love between Dexter and his Daughter…

    The ending is heartbreaking and powerful. There is nothing cliche about this story. Its funny, wholesome and amazing!!!!

  3. Tanya B February 14th, 2012 at 9:03 am #

    I would say it would be Nicholas Sparks, Notebook.

  4. Firoze February 14th, 2012 at 9:10 am #

    A Thousand Splendid Suns
    by Khaled Hosseini

  5. Linda Mullany February 14th, 2012 at 10:38 am #

    The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. A wonderful story that is, at it’s heart, a love story.

  6. Marie du Plooy February 14th, 2012 at 10:50 am #

    “The Gift of the Magi”, a short story written by O. Henry

  7. Christie February 14th, 2012 at 10:50 am #

    Romeo & Juliet…William Shakespear

  8. Lydia Greeff February 14th, 2012 at 10:52 am #

    Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

  9. Barbara Kinsky February 14th, 2012 at 10:52 am #

    Definitely, The Time Traveller’s Wife written by Audrey Niffenegger. Ends so sadly.

  10. Jen February 14th, 2012 at 10:53 am #

    Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte

  11. Amy-Jo Windt February 14th, 2012 at 10:54 am #

    The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

  12. Jen February 14th, 2012 at 10:56 am #

    Persuasion, Jane Austen

  13. Jen February 14th, 2012 at 10:56 am #

    Othello, William Shakespeare

  14. Kym February 14th, 2012 at 10:57 am #

    Dear John – Nicholas Sparks

  15. Kerry February 14th, 2012 at 10:57 am #

    Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

  16. Meagen Critchlow February 14th, 2012 at 10:59 am #

    Has to be The Thorn BIrds by Colleen McCullough! I’ve read that book countless times and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes!

  17. Liza February 14th, 2012 at 11:01 am #

    The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

  18. Roane Swindon February 14th, 2012 at 11:02 am #

    The Law of Love, by Laura Esquivel

  19. Gabi Morris February 14th, 2012 at 11:03 am #

    Outlander by Diana Gabaldon <3

  20. Belinda Lings February 14th, 2012 at 11:04 am #

    Consolation by Anna Gavalda

  21. Thea Korff February 14th, 2012 at 11:07 am #

    Far Forbidden Plains by Christina Laffeaty

    This novel tells the story of an Afrikaans girl who finds herself at the start of the Anglo Boer War. She lives as a teenager on a farm with her closed-minded parents and does not know anything about love.

    Her parents organise an ‘opsitkers’ meeting between her and a man who she describes as a very peculiar fellow. She dreams about finding love.

    On a hot day she goes to the river and swims without any clothes on, reminding herself no one is around. A Jewish traveller sees her and they fall in love.

    Their love is forbidden and as her lover is exiled to another country, he stays in touch with her. After the war they reunite despite complaints from their parents. Her lover is shunned from the Jewish community and she is kicked out of the house. They live and struggle together for years in the honour of love.

  22. Lauren Keulemans February 14th, 2012 at 11:13 am #

    The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks.

  23. Unisda Ho February 14th, 2012 at 11:18 am #

    Even though I read it as a setwork book back in my youth, I still love Romeo & Juliet – a classic love story by the incredibly talented Shakespeare.

  24. Amy Saville February 14th, 2012 at 11:18 am #

    House Rules by Jodi Picoult – a mother’s love for her child is one of the greatest loves in the world.

  25. martiza smith February 14th, 2012 at 11:19 am #

    Nicholas Sparks, Notebook.

  26. Kamendiri Naidoo February 14th, 2012 at 11:19 am #

    “The Great Indian Love Story” by Ira Trivedi

  27. phezani clement klaas February 14th, 2012 at 11:21 am #

    one i still read is the book by iyanla vanzant in the meantime its about finding ur self and the love that you need she makes u realize all the apspects of commitment and finding yourself with the wrong person and how to embrace yourself as a being

  28. Lucretia Splinters February 14th, 2012 at 11:23 am #

    Eleven Minutes – Paulo Coehlo

  29. Tania Brown February 14th, 2012 at 11:23 am #

    It has to be Romeo & Juliet…William Shakespear! absolutely loved it!

  30. Megan R February 14th, 2012 at 11:27 am #

    Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernières

  31. Julie Giraudeau February 14th, 2012 at 11:32 am #

    Wuthering Heights

  32. Annalize MacDonald February 14th, 2012 at 11:38 am #

    The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks, without a doubt! <3

  33. Svetlana February 14th, 2012 at 11:45 am #

    Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

  34. rehana seedat February 14th, 2012 at 11:49 am #

    The greatest Love Story is “Rivers End” by Norah Robert. I am a bookworm and simply love reading and I am hoping this awesome giveaway will come my way!

  35. Lynette Plaatjies February 14th, 2012 at 11:49 am #

    Love can be a train wreck – Anna Karenina

  36. rehana seedat February 14th, 2012 at 11:52 am #

    I loved reading “Rivers End” by Norah Robert. I am a bookworm, and simply love reading. I sure hope this awesome giveaway comes my way!

  37. julie govender February 14th, 2012 at 11:54 am #

    TWIGHLIGHT BY STEPHANIE MEYER : I can still watch the movie over and over again and still I can’t get enough of it. A Love story to remeber

  38. Sylvia February 14th, 2012 at 11:59 am #

    How do I list the greatest love story i have ever read if there is so much to choose from. From Shakespears Romeo and Juliet to Jane Austens Persuasion?
    I am going to go with Nicholas Sparks’s The Notebook. Its everything you expect from a great love story.
    True love conquers all!

  39. Lesmarie Wiliams February 14th, 2012 at 12:01 pm #

    “Guess how much I love you” by Sam McBratney – Family love as important as romantic love!!

  40. Neety February 14th, 2012 at 12:16 pm #

    Nicholas Sparks – The Notebook.
    🙂

  41. Lucille Parkins February 14th, 2012 at 12:40 pm #

    Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. Have read it several times as well as watched the TV series & movies

  42. Michelle Walton February 14th, 2012 at 12:42 pm #

    The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. When the one you love is even more important to you than your own life…

  43. Robyn February 14th, 2012 at 12:59 pm #

    Without a doubt I’d have to say A Midsummer Nights Dream by William Shakespeare. Though all his ‘romance’ plays resonate with me, I find this one definately encompassed all the emotions (and I guess motions as well) of falling in love; the passion, excitement, mysticism, romance, magic as well as the confusion and smoke screens that tend to appear when falling in love with another.

  44. Lu-Marie February 14th, 2012 at 1:16 pm #

    Water for Elephants by Gruen, Sara

  45. Laura February 14th, 2012 at 1:20 pm #

    A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
    Sydney Carton’s love for Lucie Manette (although unrequited) is most definitely a great love

  46. Mariza February 14th, 2012 at 1:23 pm #

    Unconditional love – as portrayed in:
    A Thousand Splendid Suns – by Khaled Hosseini &
    Agaat – by Marlene van Niekerk –
    because love do conquer all!

  47. Shana February 14th, 2012 at 1:52 pm #

    Anna Karenina..Tolstoy

    Gone with the Wind… Margaret Mitchell

    A Thousand Splendid Suns.. Khaled Husseini

    Romeo and Juliet …Shakespeare

  48. Shana February 14th, 2012 at 1:55 pm #

    These are books that I have read over and over again.

    They will be read for generations to come and are just Great Classics!

  49. Sarah February 14th, 2012 at 3:25 pm #

    Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan.

  50. Frances Emanuel February 14th, 2012 at 4:40 pm #

    One day – David Nicols. This book changed my life and changed the way I live and every single relationship I am currently involved in. I cried when I finished it – I just didn’t want it to end

  51. Therese February 14th, 2012 at 5:32 pm #

    A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaalid Hosseni and The NOtebook by Nicholas Sparks

  52. samantha February 14th, 2012 at 8:12 pm #

    Definitely The Notebook! Loved the book and movie. Can read it over and over and not get tired of it. I think this has to be the modern Romeo and Juliet replacement.

  53. Christie Cloete February 14th, 2012 at 8:16 pm #

    Pride and Prejudice – Jane Austen. Classic. Mr Darcy attracted by Elizabeth’s spirit, intelligence, passion not just her appearance!

  54. Denise Gordon February 20th, 2012 at 7:56 am #

    LOVE STORY – ERICH SEGAL

  55. Marnus Strydom June 25th, 2012 at 9:00 am #

    Jane Austen – Pride and Prejudice

Leave a Reply to Kamendiri Naidoo Click here to cancel reply.