 | |
| Author | David Levithan |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
Publication date | 2011 |
| Media type | |
| Pages | 211 |
| ISBN | 978-0-374-19368-3 |
| OCLC | 608033766 |
The Lover's Dictionary is a novel by American author David Levithan, published January 4, 2011 by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux. It is his first novel for adults. This modern love story is told entirely through dictionary entries.
A nameless narrator tells the story of a relationship through dictionary entries. These short entries provide insight into the ups and downs of their romantic relationship, revealing the couple's problems with alcoholism and infidelity. The story does not unfold in chronological order; instead, it is arranged alphabetically by dictionary entries that give glimpses into the joys and struggles the characters face over the course of their relationship.
The Lover's Dictionary is "a story about love, in all its messy complicated reality," says Levithan. [1]
The idea for the book was inspired by a Valentine's Day tradition in which Levithan writes a story for a group of family members and friends. While trying to come up with an idea for a new Valentine's Day story, the author noticed Words You Need to Know sitting on his desk and became inspired. "Could I tell the story of a relationship by just randomly picking words in alphabetical order from this book and then writing entries as if it were a dictionary?" Levithan wondered. He chose the words in alphabetical order and let the story and characters reveal themselves as he wrote the dictionary entries. [1]
The Lover's Dictionary received a starred review from Booklist , [2] as well as positive reviews from Publishers Weekly, [3] Library Journal , [4] NPR, [5] The Guardian , [6] and Kirkus. [7]
In their review, Kirkus noted, "While gimmicky and saddled with a narrator who takes himself a bit too seriously, this adult effort from one of the authors of Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist (2006) still manages to hit some universal truths about love’s perfect imperfections." [7]
Publishers Weekly stated, "Levithan attains some heartbreaking moments as well as pitches of hilarity with his concise, polished writing. Inherent in such an endeavor ... is an adorableness thankfully grounded by Levithan's wit."
The Lover's Dictionary received the following accolades:
Martha Elizabeth "Libba" Bray is an American writer of young adult novels including the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, Going Bovine, and The Diviners.
Ibtisam Barakat is a Palestinian-American bilingual author, poet, artist, translator, and educator. She was born in Beit Hanina-East Jerusalem. Barakat received her bachelor's degree from Bir Zeit University, near Ramallah in the West Bank. In 1986, she moved to New York City, where she interned with The Nation magazine. She went on to earn a master's degree in journalism and another master's degree in human development and family studies from the University of Missouri.
Aranka Siegal is a writer, Holocaust survivor, and recipient of the Newbery Honor and Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, both awarded to her in 1982. She is the author of three books, the best known of which is Upon the Head of the Goat: A Childhood in Hungary 1930-1944, a memoir of her childhood in Hungary before her 12-month imprisonment in the Nazi concentration camps, Auschwitz – Birkenau and Bergen-Belsen.
Phillip M. Hoose is an American writer of books, essays, stories, songs, and articles. His first published works were written for adults, but he turned his attention to children and young adults to keep up with his daughters. His work has been well received and honored more than once by the children's literature community. He won the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, Nonfiction, for The Race to Save the Lord God Bird (2004), and the National Book Award, Young People's Literature, for Claudette Colvin (2009).
Lynn Joseph is an author of children's books and an American lawyer. Her novella The Color of My Words won an Américas Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature and a Jane Addams Children's Book Award.
Marie K. Rutkoski in Hinsdale, Illinois is an American children's writer, and professor at Brooklyn College. She has three younger siblings. She graduated from the University of Iowa with a B.A. in English with a minor in French in 1999, and then her English M.A. and Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2003 and 2006 respectively. She lives in Brooklyn with her family and two cats, Cloud and Firefly.
Amy Timberlake is an American author of five children's books: One Came Home, That Girl Lucy Moon, The Dirty Cowboy, Skunk and Badger and Egg Marks the Spot. One Came Home was awarded the Newbery Honor and the Edgar Award. That Girl Lucy Moon was awarded by the Friends of American Writer's Literacy, and The Dirty Cowboy has received a Parent's Choice Gold Medal and won the 2004 Golden Kite Award.
The Winner's trilogy is a trilogy of young adult fantasy novels by Marie Rutkoski, which includes The Winner's Curse (2014), The Winner's Crime (2015), and The Winner's Kiss (2016), as well as the short story prequel, Bridge of Snow (2014).
The Twelve Days of Dash & Lily is a romantic young adult novel. It is a collaboration by authors David Levithan and Rachel Cohn and the sequel to their earlier book, Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. It was announced that this would be the first of two new collaborations, second one Mind the Gap, Dash & Lily published 2020.
Angie Thomas is an American young adult author, best known for writing The Hate U Give (2017). Her second young adult novel, On the Come Up, was released on February 25, 2019.
Julie C. Dao is a Vietnamese-American fantasy author. She is best known for her debut novel, Forest of a Thousand Lanterns, an East Asian-inspired retelling of the Evil Queen legend from Snow White, and its sequel Kingdom of the Blazing Phoenix.
Tiffany D. Jackson is an American author and filmmaker. She writes young adult fiction and makes horror films. She is best known for her NAACP Image Award-nominated debut novel Allegedly.
Maurene Goo is a Korean-American author of young adult fiction and comics. Her books have been translated into twelve languages and two of her novels, I Believe in a Thing Called Love and Somewhere Only We Know, have been optioned to be made into feature films by Netflix.
Sasha Masha is a coming of age young adult novel by Agnes Borinsky, published November 10, 2020 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. It tells the story of a teenager Jewish girl who, with the help of members the queer community, tries to figure out who her true self is.
Something's Wrong!: A Bear, a Hare, and Some Underwear is a children's book written by Jory John, illustrated by Erin Kraan, and published March 23, 2021 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
All Boys Aren't Blue is a young adult non-fiction "memoir-manifesto" by journalist and activist George M. Johnson, published April 28, 2020, by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
We Are the Ants is a young adult science fiction novel by Shaun David Hutchinson, published January 19, 2016 by Simon Pulse with a 24-page companion story, “What We Pretend to Be”, published on the publisher's website, Riveted, later that year.
Shaun David Hutchinson is an American author of young adult texts. His novels often "combine speculative elements with LGBT characters and themes."
Moxie is a 2017 young adult novel by Jennifer Mathieu. It was published September 19, 2017 by Roaring Brook Press. The book follows Vivian Carter, a high school student who discovers feminism and starts a zine at her school fighting for women's rights on campus. In 2021, a film based on the novel was released.
Chetna Maroo is a British Indian author. Her debut novel, Western Lane, was shortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize.
 | This article about an American novel is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. See guidelines for writing about novels. Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page. |