Summary and Analysis
Dedication
Summary
The Notebook is dedicated "to Cathy," a person identified as "my wife and my friend."
Analysis
The dedication to The Notebook mirrors everything else about the novel: It is straightforward and seemingly simplistic. In fact, many, if not most, readers probably skip the dedication entirely. Yet, the dedication establishes the tone for the entire text, not only mentioning the three most important words — love, wife, and friend — but connecting the three in what is clearly the most important person in the life of Nicholas Sparks. In interviews, Sparks admitted that the genesis of The Notebook was from his own family history, and in the dedication of his debut novel, he confirms for the entire reading population the significant effect his wife has on his own life. The Notebook is not only the love story of Noah and Allie, but also it is essentially the love story of Nicholas and Cathy.