Erich Segal - Oliver's Story

-Plot-
Years have gone by. Oliver is still single. He often meets Phil (his father-in-law) and they do different things together. Phil’s favourite topic of conversation is to convince Oliver to remarry as soon as possible. But he is the only social contact he really has (apart from his parents with whom he had reconciled). Business is going well.

Then he meets a girl called Joanna Stein, but there is no real closer relationship developing between them.

Jogging through the park he later gets to know Marcie Binnendale (rich owner of a big clothing shop chain) and there is enormous passion coming up by the time. They begin to love each other. Oliver’s feelings have come back. He feels great and never wants to lose Marcie. The couple spends very much time together (they have different excursions, trips, sports, dinners, romantic evenings…). Everything seems splendid. But then well-known differences and problems happen between them, which do not come up immediately but develop and slowly and get more important by the time: Marcie is very busy and Oliver is very busy. She has to travel all around the world to present her collections. So they often cannot see each other for a week or even more, which is not too beneficial for their love.

On top of it Oliver learns (during a common travel to Hong Kong) that the Binnendales’ purveyors (which are employed by Marcie) employ very young children (and influence them to work). The adult workers agree upon sharing the pay if they all may work. All this is called sweatshop labour. Oliver – years ago – (still at Harvard) had learned that the Barretts’ money came from sweatshop labour, too (since then he had dissociated with the Barretts’ business). Because of this he separates (very painfully: “You are a cold and heartless bitch”) from Marcie (as she finds this business practice normal: “Everyone does it.”)

In the end Oliver becomes senior partner in his father’s company as his father is going to retire. He comes to the conclusion that he would be alive if Jenny were still alive.

Download ebook in .pdf format: Eric Segal – Oliver’s Story

Download ebook in .pdf format: Eric Segal – Oliver’s Story

Erich Segal

When I was looking ’some’ good book to read in my spare time, my friend recommended Erich Segal’s Love Story, and since the day I read it, it has been my favourite book. And this is so sad to know that my favourite author has no longer among us.

Love Story author Erich Segal has died from a heart attack at home in London aged 72, his daughter has said.

Segal was a classics professor at Yale University when he wrote the book, which became an Oscar-winning 1970 film starring Ryan O’Neal and Ali MacGraw.

Francesca Segal said her father, who died on Sunday, had suffered from Parkinson’s disease for many years.

New York-born Segal also wrote the screenplay for the Beatles’ animated film Yellow Submarine.

Screenplay nomination

At his funeral in London on Tuesday, Ms Segal said during the eulogy: “That he fought to breathe, fought to live, every second of the last 30 years of illness with such mind-blowing obduracy, is a testament to the core of who he was, a blind obsessionality that saw him pursue his teaching, his writing, his running and my mother, with just the same tenacity.

“He was the most dogged man any of us will ever know.”

Love Story, which had the tagline “Love means never having to say you’re sorry”, was nominated for seven Oscars – including Segal’s screenplay – and won one for best original score.

Segal, who was an honorary fellow of Wolfson College, Oxford, is survived by his wife Karen James and daughters Francesca, 29, and Miranda, 20. (- via bbc.co.uk)

Erich Segal - Love Story

I know its a very old book, but its my all time favorite

-Plot-
Oliver Barrett first met Jennifer Cavilleri in Radcliffe library where she was studying. Jennifer was unimpressed with neither his intelligence nor his wealth and she thought that he was a loser. Despite her low opinion of him, he couldn’t help invite her to dates and his hockey games. That started their relationship. It wasn’t long before Oliver told her that he loves her although Jennifer didn’t believe him, they were still happy together. She provided him a different perspective to his wealthy life.

He grew up in a severely strict house where reputation needed to be uphold and affections were not entertained. With Jennifer, Oliver for the first time felt real love. When Jennifer suddenly started talking about going their separate ways after graduation, Oliver panicked. He was not ready to end their relationship and so he proposed to Jennifer. They went to his parents to announce the news of their marriage but his parents were disapproving of Jennifer because she had no reputable lineage and was poor.

Oliver was angry with his parents and he disowned himself. He proceeded to marry Jennifer while finishing his law degree. It was tough without his unlimited access to money. They scrounged every day, working part-time juggling both school and work just to make ends meet. But after graduation, he got great offers from law firms and that made their lives easier. It wasn’t long before they planned on having a baby. But after many futile attempts, they sought medical expertise.

It turned out that Jennifer was sterile. But the worse news was that she was dying of leukemia. Oliver couldn’t believe it and he was in so much grief. Furthermore, he needed to tell his wife of her disease. He decided not to tell Jennifer and tried to act normal. He forsook his job in favor of spending more time with her. But Jennifer found out eventually and they couldn’t do anything but share the grief together.

Only a month passed when Jennifer became very ill and they knew that her time was almost up.

Download ebook in .doc format: Eric Segal – Love Story

Download ebook in .doc format: Eric Segal – Love Story

Download ebook in .txt format: Eric Segal – Love Story

Download ebook in .txt format: Eric Segal – Love Story