Erich Segal --->>>

I have not read any of the late Erich Segal's academic books on Roman comedy but I did read Love Story -- and also the sequel, Oliver's Story. "Versions of the Pastoral"! In 1972 a former Marine who I'm sure had never willingly read any other book of fiction told me how moved he had been by Love Story. It really is authentically great and I don't want to patronize it. This was a tremendous achievement. It appeared at the same time as The Godfather -- both of them contributing phrases that have permanently been assimilated into the language. The Godfather was in part an attempt to write an American Brothers Karamazov -- and parts of Karamazov are a lot like Love Story. Ave atque vale!