Outlander Book Summary

In 'Outlander,' Claire Randall, a World War II nurse, finds herself mysteriously transported from 1945 to 1743 Scotland, where she becomes embroiled in the Jacobite risings. Torn between her love for her husband Frank in the 20th century and her passionate connection with the dashing Highland warrior Jamie Fraser, Claire faces heart-wrenching choices. The vibrant and tumultuous historical backdrop brings danger and intrigue as Claire navigates a world filled with political intrigue and fierce battles. As she struggles to find a way back home, she uncovers secrets that could change the course of history. Will Claire return to her own time, or will she embrace her new life filled with love and adventure?

By Diana Gabaldon

Published: 1998

"The thing about you is that you know how to love fiercely and with abandon, even when it tears you apart."

Book Review of Outlander

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The first book in Diana Gabaldon’s acclaimed Outlander saga, the basis for the Starz original series. One of the top ten best-loved novels in America, as seen on PBS’s The Great American Read! Unrivaled storytelling. Unforgettable characters. Rich historical detail. These are the hallmarks of Diana Gabaldon’s work. Her New York Times bestselling Outlander novels have earned the praise of critics and captured the hearts of millions of fans. Here is the story that started it all, introducing two remarkable characters, Claire Beauchamp Randall and Jamie Fraser, in a spellbinding novel of passion and history that combines exhilarating adventure with a love story for the ages. Scottish Highlands, 1945. Claire Randall, a former British combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding clans in the year of Our Lord . . . 1743. Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of a world that threatens her life, and may shatter her heart. Marooned amid danger, passion, and violence, Claire learns her only chance of safety lies in Jamie Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior. What begins in compulsion becomes urgent need, and Claire finds herself torn between two very different men, in two irreconcilable lives.

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The thing about you is that you know how to love fiercely and with abandon, even when it tears you apart.

Outlander

By Diana Gabaldon