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There was a time when the world was sweeter... when the women in Beau fort, North Carolina, wore dresses, and men donned hats...

Every April, when the wind smells of both the sea and lilacs, Landon Carter remembers 1958, his last year at Beaufort High. Landon had dated a girl or two,... read more

Summary edit see section history

Landon hasn’t really ever felt love until he meets Jamie Sullivan. When Landon needs a date to the homecoming dance he can’t find a date. When he asks Jamie Sullivan she says yes. The Two instantly hit it off. Jamie starts to teach Landon about the bible because his family didn’t go to church... read more (warning: may contain spoilers)

Landon hasn’t really ever felt love until he meets Jamie Sullivan. When Landon needs a date to the homecoming dance he can’t find a date. When he asks Jamie Sullivan she says yes. The Two instantly hit it off. Jamie starts to teach Landon about the bible because his family didn’t go to church that often and wasn’t liked very well by the pastor which happened to Be Jamie’s father. Jamie and Landon end up being the leads in the Christmas play which is based on the Sullivan family. One cold spring day Landon tells Jamie but Jamie in turn tells him that she has a rare form of Leukemia and is going to die. Jamie’s has done everything the doctors have told her to do but they cannot help Jamie. As the months go by Jamie gets weaker and weaker and is soon unable to get out of bed. Landon ‘s parents help Jamie by getting her a full time nurse and a doctor that checks on her every few hours, because Jamie doesn’t want to be at the hospital she wants to be at home.

In the prologue to his latest novel, Nicholas Sparks makes the rather presumptuous pledge "first you will smile, and then you will cry," but sure enough, he delivers the goods. With his calculated ability to throw your heart around like a yo-yo (try out his earlier Message in the Bottle or The Notebook if you really want to stick it to yourself), Sparks pulls us back to the perfect innocence of a first love.In 1958 Landon Carter is a shallow but well-meaning teenager who spends most of his time hanging out with his friends and trying hard to ignore the impending responsibilities of adulthood! Then Landon gets roped into acting the lead in the Christmas play opposite the most renowned goody two-shoes intown: Jamie Sullivan. Against his best intentions and the taunts of his buddies, Landon finds himself falling for Jamie and learning some central lessons in life.Like John Irving's A Prayer for Owen Meany, Sparks maintains a delicate and rarely seen balance of humor and sentiment. While the plot may not be the most original, this boy-makes-good tearjerker will certainly reel in the fans. Look for a movie starring beautiful people or, better yet, snuggle under the covers with your tissues nearby and let your inner sap run wild. --Nancy R.E. O'Brien
beautifully written

Characters/People edit see section history

  • Jamie Sullivan: Jamie is a sweet theistic girl, she always dresses in a plaid skirt and a brown sweater; with her honey blond hair pulled into a bun. She believes that every thing happens because of the lord's plan. She doesn't have many friends, spending most of her time with her father or volunteering at places like the orphanage. Jamie sees the good in everyone, she respects every person she meets, despite the way many of her peers treat her.
  • Landon Carter: First person narator. Landon Carter is the "bad boy" in some people's eyes, yet there is a "softer" side to him. He's a character you just can't hate!
  • Hegbert (Reverend) Sullivan: Jamie's father. Hegbert is very protective of Jamie since her mother died giving birth to Jamie. He is the minister at the Southern Baptist church, and is very religious.
  • Worth Carter: Landon's father, a United States congressman. Worth is never home, He is vain, and wasn't with Landon during his childhood.
  • Mrs. Carter: Landon's mother, who is helpful and sympathetic towards Landon's love of Jamie. One of the only people who believes in him during his struggling relationship.
  • Eric Hunter: Landon's best friend. Eric plays football and is very athletic. Eric often shows off in front of Margret and will hurt people's feelings in order to impress her.
  • Miss Garber: The drama teacher, she always uses the word marvelous.
  • Angela Clark: Landon's ex-girlfriend. She has a minor role in the plot as she causes an incident that helps bring Landon and Jamie together.
  • Margaret Hays: Eric's girlfriend and is a Head Cheerleader.
  • Eddie Jones: Eddie Jones is the only other boy in the drama class. He stutters heavilly.
  • Jamie Sullivan: Jamie is a goody-two shoes. She helps out in the orphanage, reads her Bible, and helps you in whatever way possible. Yet for some reason, she has never been accepted socially. Each day she gets along just fine being the minister's daughter who never deals with the hopes and doubts many seventeen-year-olds face...
  • Lew: Lew is Landon's Ex girlfriend's new boyfriend that like to drink, smoke, and party. He's a mechanic.
  • Cecil: Own's Cecil's diner, this is where guys take a girl when they like them.
  • Mr Jenkins: Director of the orphanage that Jamie visits.
  • Henry Preston: Add a description of this character.
  • Mrs. Hastings
  • Carey Dennison
  • Tom Thornton: He is a figure in christmas play that is playd by Landon that year.
  • Roger
  • Sally
Show all 20 characters
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Quotes edit see section history

  • “Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful.”
    Jamie's father, reading from the Bible.
  • “When I was seventeen my life changed forever.”
    Landon Carter
  • “Love is like the wind, you can't see it but you can feel it”
    Landon Carter
  • “Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse, to trust, to hope, and to endure whatever comes.Jamie was the truest essence of that very description.”
    Landon Carter
  • “I want to get married. And when I do, I want my father to walk me down the aisle and I want everyone I know to be there. I want the church bursting with people.”
    Jamie Sullivan
  • “You should count your blessings.""Oh. I do. I'm practically the luckiest guy alive.”
    Jamie Sullivan to Landon Carter
  • “We'd giggle like idiots, like we were the wisest creatures ever to inhabit the planet.”
    Landon
  • “I may be irresponsible, but I'm a "nice" irresponsible.”
    Landon Carter
  • “It was truly a walk to remember”
    Landon Carter
  • “I know the Lord has a plan for us all, but sometimes, I just don't understand what the message can be. Does that ever happen to you?" She said this as though it were something I thought about all the time."Well," I said, trying to bluff, "I don't think that we're meant to understand it all the time. I think that sometimes we just have to have faith.”
    Jamie & Landon
  • “My story can’t be summed up in two or three sentences; it can’t be packaged into something neat and simple that people would immediately understand.”
    Landon Carter
  • “You're the best person I'll probably ever know.”
    Eric Hunter to Jamie Sullivan
  • “The problem isn't finding out where you are gonna go-its figuring out what you are gonna do once you get there that is!* from the movie”
    jamie
  • “"It wasn't that long, and it certainly wasn't the kind of kiss you see in movies these days, but it was wonderful in it's own way, and all I can remember about that moment is that when our lips first touched, I knew the memory would last forever."”
    Landon Carter
Show all 14 quotes from this book

Setting & Locations edit see section history

North Carolina

First Sentence edit see section history

"When I was seventeen, my life changed forever."

Table of Contents edit see section history

Chapter 1 to Chapter 13

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

  • Romance: Loving someone so much that you feel as if they are apart of you. Romance is letting another person be there for you and love you like you deserve.
  • Illness and Death: Jamie seems to be the perfect girl but she really is very sick. She has Leukemia. The thing that I found most inspiring is that she comforts Landon through this and reassures him. She changes his life through her example and some part of this is from her selflessness throughout her illness.
  • Forgiveness: Describe this theme.

Series & Lists edit see section history

This is book 93 of 194 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2010). (authoritative list)
This is book 91 of 10 in Grandes Narrativas. (publisher edition list)
This is book 96 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2011). (authoritative list)
This is book 95 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (June 2010). (authoritative list)
This is book 100 of 195 in Shelfari Most Popular (December 2011). (authoritative list)
This book is in Nicholas Spark Books. (community list)

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

  1. Nicholas Sparks (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Original Language: English
Publisher: Warner Books
Country: New York, NY., USA
Publication Date: Sep-1999
ISBN: 0446525537
Page Count: 240

Classification edit see section history

  • Library of Congress: PS3569.P363 W35 1999 FT MEADE
  • Dewey: 813.54

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Reading Level: Young Adults

Not for small children.

Movie Connections edit see section history

More Books Like This edit see section history

   
  • The Notebook
  • The Time Traveler's Wife
  • Three Weeks with My Brother
  • Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas
  • Love Story
  • Before I Die

Books That Influenced This Book edit see section history

   
  • A Christmas Carol
  • Twas the Night Before

Books Influenced by This Book edit see section history

   
  • The Complete Idiot's Guide to Writing a Novel
  • The Making of a Bestseller
  • The Ultimate Guide to Chick Flicks
  • Film Junkie's Guide to North Carolina
  • Un Mensanje De Garcia/A Message From Garcia
  • The Hollywood Way: A Young Movie Mogul's Savvy Business Tips for Success in Any Career

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