thebobsphere 's review for:

The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P. by Adelle Waldman

4.0

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Really The Love Affairs of Nathaniel P is a good companion to Alain De Botton's Essays in Love, as both do explore the topic of relationships in a humorous and philosophical manner. Also both focus on the male psyche when in a relationship.

Nate is a a scholar with a new book coming out, other than that his social life is not really going that well. He has gone through a stream of bad relationships. At an ex's dinner party he meets Hannah and things go pretty well and serious. The question is whether Nate is willing to take this relationship seriously as well.

On the surface, this novel may seem like some type of soap opera, and in a certain way it is but Waldman does create Nate as a complicated character who's worldview and upbringing affect the way he treats Hannah. True there are quite a few generalistions (I for one don't see relationships as a way of filling up my time) but there were some brief insights which I could relate to.

More than anything it's a pleasant read if you're on a plane or waiting for one. It's light but not enough to go into fluffy territory.