Love Life

By Kluun and Ray Kluun

Dan and Carmen have it all, it seems: They are young, rich, good-looking, satisfied in their work and love life, and are the parents of a beautiful three-year-old daughter. When Carmen is diagnosed with breast cancer, Dan is unable to cope with her illness and the changes this brings to their happy, yuppie family life. While the beautiful and optimistic Carmen submits to chemotherapy and eventually a mastectomy, hedonistic Dan tries to find solace with his buddies and in several flings before he finally stops running away and succeeds in supporting Carmen in her decision to end her life with dignity. Love Life is an account of a terminal illness that is devoid of glitz or fake sentiment. Distressing hospital situations and spot-on characterizations of doctors and therapists alternate with the many heart-wrenching moments through the course of Carmen's illness, as both she and Dan come to terms with what commitment really means. Love Life is completely unapologetic, extremely controversial, but ultimately uplifting and life-affirming.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B003IWYKD0
• ISBN13: 9780312366810
• Release Date: July 2007
• Publisher: St. Martins Press-3PL
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 0.78 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

Wow.

I started reading this book and couldn't put it down. First of all, the USA prudes need to remember that it's a different world in Europe in dealing with sexuality, especially in the Netherlands. Obviously the author takes his extra-marital relationships to extremes, but the point of the story is his undying love for his first wife and how he manages to cope with her impending death and caring for her regardless how horrible her illness eventually becomes. I can't say I "enjoyed" this book because of the subject matter, but this story moved me deeply and one I'll not forget anytime soon.

A book with the power to make you feel

I read this book on a flight home from China a year ago and it still remains the only book I can remember touching me on such an extreme level. I must have been hiding behind my tears the entire flight. If you are a person who lacks tolerance and understanding of human emotions and the fact that they are not always controllable or morally "right," this book may not be for you as some of the reviews suggest. I, however, applaud the author's honesty. It is beautifully written, a page-turner and an eye-opener.

If you want to cry this book is for you

I borrowed this book from the library just on chance alone. I have never heard of it before but just grabbed a random book off the shelf. I plan to purchase this book! I enjoyed it thouroghly from beginning to it's heart wrenching end. I think I cried for the last 30 pages of the book. Although some may feel the author is a "scum-bag", which I believe he acknowledges himself, the book is well written, painfully truthful and I could relate to them all. I haven't read a book in a long time that made me really feel something. Read the book with an open mind - especially since the author resides in Amsterdam and that is probably the most liberal city anywhere around!!

Painfully honest

I am very surprised by the low rating and the remarks I have read here about this book. Not because the book is not controversial, but because it is very well written, surprisingly (and painfully) honest and very original on top of that. The subject matter is very polemic, but I am sorry to see that some of the voters can not see past the first layer of the story line and subsequently vote low for a book they even enjoyed. Does the fact that the book is based on a real life story make it less valuable than fiction? This book is originally written in Dutch (Komt een vrouw bij de dokter). For most Dutch people it is very hard to believe such narrowmindedness.

Journey with cancer and love

What an intriguing journey first with a married man going through his darkest hours with his wife being diagnosed with terminal cancer. He is no saint by any means and comes to terms with himself and his relationship with his wife. We also go through the journey the wife makes throughout the book to come to terms with the word cancer to the inevitable words "terminal cancer". What a strong insightful women the wife is. The fight and will to live, the day to day struggles, the uncertain future, their small toddler and what the future lies with just the man and his daughter. The struggle, the fight, the cancer, what the body endures......such a great book!