Nicholas Sparks is one of the world’s most beloved storytellers. All of his books have been New York Times bestsellers, with over 90 million copies sold worldwide, in more than 50 languages, including over 60 million copies in the United States alone.

Sparks wrote one of his best-known stories, The Notebook, over a period of six months at age 28. It was published in 1996 by Warner Books. He followed with the novels Message in a Bottle (1998), A Walk to Remember (1999), The Rescue (2000), A Bend in the Road(2001), Nights in Rodanthe (2002), The Guardian (2003),The Wedding (2003), True Believer (2005) and its sequel,At First Sight (2005), Dear John (2006), The Choice(2007), The Lucky One (2008), The Last Song (2009), Safe Haven (2010) and The Best of Me (2011), as well as the 2004 non-fiction memoir Three Weeks With My Brother, co-written with his brother Micah. His seventeenth novel, The Longest Ride, will be published on September 17, 2013.Safe Haven, Sparks's eighth film adaptation and on which he served as a Producer, opened February 14, 2013, taking top box office honors for Valentine's Day. Along with The Lucky One, Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook, Nights in Rodanthe, Dear John and The Last Song, adaptations of Nicholas Sparks novels have a cumulative worldwide gross of over three-quarters of a billion dollars.In 2012, Sparks and his publishing agent and creative partner Theresa Park, launched Nicholas Sparks Productions, with Park as President of Production. A film and television production company, they inked a two-year, first-look, non-writing, Executive Producer deal at Warner Horizon with Elise Henderson as Head of TV. Just four months later, Nicholas Sparks Productions announced the first three television series to be developed under that agreement, in collaboration with three different networks: TNT, ABC Family and Lifetime. Nicholas Sparks Productions, in association with Senator Films, anticipate moving forward with a local language feature film for the German speaking audience in the near term.

Sparks lives in North Carolina with his family. He contributes to a variety of local and national charities, and is a major contributor to the Creative Writing Program (MFA) at the University of Notre Dame, where he provides scholarships, internships, and a fellowship annually. Along with his wife, he founded The Epiphany School in New Bern, North Carolina. As a former full scholarship athlete (he still holds a track and field record at the University of Notre Dame) he also spent four years coaching track and field athletes at the local public high school. In 2009, the team he coached at New Bern High School set a World Junior Indoor Record in the 4 x400 meter, in New York. The record still stands.

In 2011, Nicholas and his wife launched the Nicholas Sparks Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to improving cultural and international understanding through global education experiences for students of all ages. Between the foundation, and the personal gifts of Nicholas and Catherine Sparks, more than $10 million dollars have been distributed to deserving charities, scholarship programs, and projects. Because Nicholas and Catherine Sparks cover all operational expenses of the foundation, 100% of donations are devoted to programs.

Introduction

Fifty-seven-year-old Landon Carter narrates the novel, reflecting on events from 40 years in the past. The novel opens with a Prologue, in which the older Landon, living in the same North Carolina town as he did at the age of 17, stands near the Baptist church that figures prominently in the novel and gets himself in the mindset of his 17-year-old self. The story begins in 1958.

Landon's father is a congressman who spends most of his life in Washington, D.C., and is a stranger to his son.

Reverend Sullivan's wife died during childbirth, and he has raised his daughter, Jamie, on his own. Jamie and her father are deeply connected, but Jamie is ostracized by her classmates because of her religious devotion, unflattering clothing and hairstyle, and tendency to help the downtrodden. Although Landon has known Jamie most of his life — as classmates and fellow church members only — he is surprised to notice at the beginning of his senior year that she is becoming a woman and could almost be considered attractive.

Conflict

When Jamie and Landon finally met each other for their role-play project, Jamie warned Landon not to fall in love with her and Landon just laughed at what Jamie said. Eventually, as Jamie helped Landon in their project, Landon started to fall in love with her. Jamie didn’t know what to do and what to say all she felt is she is also in love with him. They were always together, watching the stars which is Jamie’s hobby. And Jamie didn’t know how to tell her health problems with Landon. She doesn’t want to ruin their joy of being together.

Climax

When Jamie tells Landon she has cancer. Landon basically flips out and tells her she'll be cured, but the truth is she won't be. So he goes and begs his parents to help her, but they tell him they can't do anything. While the months pass, Landon finds himself falling more and more in love with Jamie. He then decides to ask her to marry him. She approves. Then all of Landon's friends really don't know what to say. They know he loves her, but they don't know if they should really be getting married at a young age. Even if Jamie does have cancer.

ResolutionThey got married at early age. Jamie’s father gave them the permission of receiving the

sacrament of matrimony. Knowing the fact that Jamie is sick, Landon still accepted and love her despite everything.

Ending

After several months of being a couple, Jamie died. It’s not too difficult for Landon to accept the death of his wife for somehow, somewhere, the love that he felt with Jamie is everlasting. It is a kind of love that changed him to be a better man. Jamie was the one who taught her to accept her father, to bring back direction in his life. Jamie totally transformed his life…

SETTINGThe story takes place in the real-life city of Beaufort, North Carolina (pronounced "Bo-furt"), in 1958and 1959. Beaufort is a small coastal port city that was established in 1722. 

CHARACTER LIST 

Major Characters 

Landon Carter The 57 year-old man who through flashback narrates the story of his seventeenth year, the year that changed his life. 

Jamie Sullivan The seventeen year-old girl daughter of a Baptist minister who is dying of cancer, but who impacts on the lives of everyone around her. 

Hegbert Sullivan The Baptist minister, the writer of The Christmas Angel, and Jamie’s father, he tries to discourage the young couple from being together and falling love, but in the end, even he cannot disrupt God’s Plan. 

Minor Characters 

Worth Carter Landon’s father and the local congressman, he is seldom home and so, he and Landon haven’t much of a relationship. 

Landon’s mother Although she is nameless, she has a great deal of influence on her son and is a source of strength when he needs it most. 

Eric Hunter Landon’s best friend and the star of the football team, he is a natural joker and teaser and in the end, must come to grips with the way he had always treated Jamie. 

Miss Garber The teacher who teaches the Drama Class and helps them stage The Christmas Angel. 

Carey and Eddie The two boys whom Landon often mocks as being somehow less than he is. 

Jamie’s mother Although she has died at Jamie’s birth, it is her Bible that has a lasting influence on both Jamie and Landon. 

Landon’s grandfather A kind of robber baron who made the family fortune by stealing from the people of Beaufort, his evil actions made Hegbert quit working for him and created discord between Hegbert and his son Worth for a long time after. Jamie heals their rift.