Book 1: One Day

Title: One Day
Year: 2009
Author: David Nicholls

Definitely waaaaay better than the movie. I feel lucky to have read it at this point in my life where everything’s still pretty much a blur (career, love, plans) because it taught me a lot of things.

The novel is an exploration of two young lives which intersect and never part. This is When Harry Met Sally (1989) for ya - only more dramatic and in-depth.

Things I learned after reading this:

  • Success doesn’t come overnight. We’ll come across roadblocks before we finally takeoff towards our desired destination.
  • I will say this time and again: Love that is borne out of deep friendship is more enduring.
  • If you truly want someone, don’t waste years just thinking about it. Pursue the person as soon as your instincts tell you that it’s right. If it’s right, right now, most probably it will still be right in the future (not unless the other person changes drastically or some shit).
  • You’ll always go back to that one person you truly love no matter what happens (whether you get married or have kids or whatnot).

The use of one day a year to narrate Dexter and Emma’s story is genius and much credit is due to Nicholls for the idea. He was able to effectively compress a 20-year story which saved me and the million others who read this from being dragged to boredom.

Favorite quote: “The trick of it, she told herself, is to be courageous and bold and make a difference. Not change the world exactly, just the bit around you. Go out there with your double-first, your passion and your new Smith Corona electric typewriter and work hard at … something. Change lives through art maybe. Write beautifully. Cherish your friends, stay true to your principles, live passionately and fully and well. Experience new things. Love and be loved if at all possible. Eat sensibly. Stuff like that.”

I have to say that it’s in those times in the novel when they’re not together that you truly feel Dexter and Emma’s connection - the longing to talk and see each other because the moment or experience is just too good to savor alone.

Rating: 3/5 stars