The Notebook

Article written by Israel Njoku

Degree in M.C.M with focus on Literature from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

‘The Notebook‘ by Nicholas Sparks is a novel with a story of enduring love and unwavering devotion between soul mates. The novel tells of the passionate union between Noah Calhoun and Allie Nelson who fall in love as teenagers but whose love is threatened by separation, class discrimination, aging, and disease. The way Noah and Allie face the challenges to their love makes ‘The Notebook‘ by Nicholas Sparks an inspiring story that quickly became a bestseller and a flourishing motion picture after its release.

Key Facts about The Notebook

• Title: ‘The Notebook’
• Author: Nicholas Sparks
• Publication Date: October 1, 1996
• Number of pages: 115
• Setting: New Bern, a Southern town in post-WW II USA
• Genre: Romance
• Protagonist: Noah Calhoun
• Point of View: First-Person Narration
• Climax: Anne’s warning visit to Noah’s home

Nicholas Sparks and The Notebook

‘The Notebook‘ is Nicholas Sparks’ first published novel, although it was the third novel he wrote as the first two were never published. According to Sparks, ‘The Notebook‘ was inspired by the love story of his wife’s grandparents who had been married for sixty years at the time Sparks was getting married to his wife Cathy Cote.

‘The Notebook’s’ manuscript was discovered by literary agent Theresa Park from her agency’s slush pile and after reading it, Park offered to represent Sparks. Park secured a 1 million US dollar advance for the book from the Time Warner Book Group and on October 1, 1996, the novel was officially published.

Nicholas Sparks has about twenty-two published novels and two non-fiction books in his literary career. Eleven of his twenty-two novels including ‘The Notebook‘ have been adapted into a film, putting him on the list of one of the most adapted novelists in the world.

Books Related to The Notebook

Novels with aged protagonists have an earthly quality to them. Books similar to ‘The Notebook‘ by Nicholas Sparks in this regard include ‘The Longest Ride‘ also by Nicholas Sparks, ‘Water for Elephants‘ by Sara Gruen, and ‘The Old Man and the Sea‘ by Ernest Hemingway.

All the above books have aged protagonists who despite their old age, display admirable strength of character and determination in going after what they desire. Like eighty-nine-year-old Noah Calhoun in ‘The Notebook‘ who does not concede defeat to Alzheimer’s disease; there is ninety-one-year-old Ira Stevinson in ‘The Longest Ride‘ who stubbornly clings to life in the face of a fatal accident; then ninety-three-year-old Jacob Jankowski in ‘Water for Elephants‘ who escapes a nursing home to go after his dream of reliving life in a circus; and old Santiago in ‘The Old Man and the Sea‘ who does not allow an eighty-four days unlucky streak deter his resolve in his fishing venture.

These books also have themes of love, mortality, and determination in common. Readers who enjoyed  ‘The Notebook‘ would likely also enjoy the other book titles mentioned above.

The Lasting Impact of The Notebook