My Favorite Book: ‘A Walk to Remember’ is an unforgettable book

Nicholas Sparks’ latest novel is truly one of the most memorable books I’ve ever read. A few weeks prior to learning that A Walk to Remember was made into a movie (and later hearing all the hype about it), I had already read it because a friend of mine swears that it is such a great book.

And I agree. A Walk to Remember is a truly well-written story that will not fail to touch the heart of any person who reads it.

I was very young when I discovered the magic and power of books. And I have since then developed what I call a "state of concentration" when reading a good book. In those moments, the world around me ceases to exist.

Reading Sparks’ book certainly induced me into this state. The story draws you into the situation of the characters, allowing you to feel a personal link to them, not just because of the down-to-earth characters (in the sense that the chracaters are ordinary people) but possibly because of the universality of the themes which the book expresses. In any case, something calls you to experience the emotions that each character feels. The beauty, the honesty and poignancy of the emotions each character feels allow you to respond to their situations.

The thing with reading books is that there is a certain purity to it. There is purity in the characters and their actions. In real life, you can never be sure of the motives of other people and even yourself sometimes, but in books, with each character’s past and present thoughts and experiences concretely expressed, you feel that the true self of the character will always be known to you.

In any case, the book narrates the experiences of a young man whose friendship with and love for a girl changes his life forever. I remember reading the last third of the story crying. Again, the poignancy and simple beauty of the story cannot fail to touch you.

The story is set in the small town of Beaufort, North Carolina. The story opens with an old man reminiscing about his senior high school year when he fell in love with Jamie Sullivan, the Baptist minister’s daughter. His name is Landon Carter. Jamie and Landon are probably the most unlikely couple to fall in love. Jamie is serious, conservative and doesn’t care about being popular, while Landon hangs out with the popular crowd. He’s reckless and aimless. Landon joins the drama club to which Jamie belongs. Cast as lead actors in the Christmas pageant, Jamie and Landon eventually become closer, and he finds himself falling in love with her. Their story however, could not end as fairy tales do. As their love and faith is tested by tragedy, they finally realize the deeply transforming power of love.

Another thing about this particular book is that it is potentially transformative, it can change you, or at least your perspective of life. It makes you realize that life is a gift, it is something that should be appreciated and lived fully. It actually made me realize that life is an opportunity to make a difference in the world, to the people around you.

This book allows you to realize that love is an experience of greatness, "for however brief a moment your experience with it may be, it will stay with you forever."