The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery book chat. In many other countries, while it may not have made the bestseller lists, it nonetheless has enjoyed considerable success. The elegance of the hedgehog english edition ebook. Sep 07, 2008 the elegance of the hedgehog, a best seller in france and several other countries, belongs to a distinct subgenre.
This summary of the elegance of the hedgehog includes a complete plot overview spoilers included. Translated from the french, there were definitely some cultural references that i, as an american, did not understand at all, but there were also common human elements that really came across at the end. The elegance of the hedgehog has been described as a toolbox one can look into to resolve lifes problems, a lifetransforming read, and a lifeaffirming book. The elegance of the hedgehog paperback book passage. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery goodreads. The elegance of the hedgehog study guide contains a biography of muriel barbery, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. May 10, 2019 the elegance of the hedgehog is a different book. A lot of cultural references are made in this book to art, tolstoy, sciif and to japanese films which some readers may or may not get. Sep 02, 2008 renee is the concierge of a grand parisian apartment building, home to members of the great and the good. While brimming with audacity and indignation, the elegance of the hedgehog is tempered by a smooth infusion of sophisticated humor and a boundless passion for art.
Over the years she has maintained her carefully constructed persona as someone reliable but totally uncultivated, in keeping, she feels, with societys expectations of what a concierge should be. She has lived in kyoto, amsterdam, and paris, and now lives in the french countryside. The elegance of the hedgehog muriel barbery, 2007 penguin group usa 336 pp. This is not to say that the book wont be hugely successful in the englishspeaking world. It is a profound but accessible book not quite proust, then, which elegantly treads the line between literary and commercial fiction.
In the heart of paris, in the posh building made famous in the elegance of hedgehog, pierre athens, the greatest food critic in the world, is dying. Its very much a characterdriven book with little plot, but once. The elegance of the hedgehog paperback tattered cover. Muriel barbery muriel barbery is the author of the new york times bestseller, the elegance of the hedgehog europa, 2008, gourmet rhapsody europa, 2009, and the life of elves europa, 2016. The international bestseller that has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Do you feel this is an accurate characterization of. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery translated by alison anderson gallic books. Oct 02, 2017 as previously mentioned, these parts of the book gave me the impression that barbery perhaps wanted to write a book on philosophy, but chose instead to disguise it thinly, i might add, in a hodgepodge of disturbed characters who need serious therapy.
Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. Were considering expanding this synopsis into a fulllength study guide to deepen your comprehension of the book and why its important. The first edition of the novel was published in august 2006, and was written by muriel barbery. However, i find action in it as the world that barbery creates is filled with pathos, beauty and prose that merges into poetry and back again. Renee, the concierge, is witness to the lavish but vacuous lives of her numerous employers. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery cw pencil. Sep, 2008 it is a profound but accessible book not quite proust, then, which elegantly treads the line between literary and commercial fiction. Pdf the elegance of the hedgehog download full pdf. Pdf the elegance of the hedgehog download full pdf book. May 14, 2009 muriel barbery is a former lecturer in philosophy and the bestselling author of impacshortlisted novel the elegance of the hedgehog. Sep 12, 2008 the elegance of the hedgehog is a highwire performance. Review of the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery, plus backstory and other interesting facts about the book. She is cantankerous and addicted to television soaps.
Muriel barberys the elegance of the hedgehog quotes. May 22, 2018 robert adams on the elegance of the hedgehog duration. Oct 24, 2008 the elegance of the hedgehog aspires to be great and pretends to philosophy. Renee is the concierge of a grand parisian apartment building, home to members of the great and the good. In this novel, renee michel is a concierge who believes that every concierge is perceived as unintelligent by those for whom they work. By may 2008 it had sold more than a million copies and has been a bestseller in france, italy, germany, spain, south korea, and many other countries.
Marie claire france an exquisite book in the form of a philosophical fable that has. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery and a great selection of related books. Critic and educator robert adams lectures on the elegance of the hedgehog. Mar 12, 2020 i finished reading the elegance of the hedgehog a few weeks ago. The elegance of the hedgehog, a best seller in france and several other countries, belongs to a distinct subgenre. Published in france in 2006, muriel barberys second novel has been a huge hit.
The main characters of this fiction, book club story are renee michel, paloma josse. Translated by alison anderson and published in the us by europa editions in. Revered by some and reviled by many, monsieur arthens has been lording it over the worlds most esteemed chefs for years, passing judgment on their creations, deciding their fates with a stroke of his pen, destroying and building reputations on a whim. The elegance of the hedgehog has gone on to sell more than 6 million copies worldwide and has been described by le figaro as the publishing phenomenon of the decade.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery. To the residents she is honest, reliable and uncultivated an ideal concierge. Muriel barbery is a former lecturer in philosophy and bestselling author. The elegance of the hedgehog muriel barbery, author, alison anderson, translator, trans.
The elegance of the hedgehog is a great book, written with stylistically lovely prose and biting wit. For the past two years, weve been running a bimonthly book club, which we call the orchard street reading society in our shop. The book follows events in the life of a concierge, renee michel, whose deliberately concealed intelligence is uncovered by an unstable but intellectually precocious girl named paloma josse. Lelegance du herisson is a novel by the french novelist and philosophy teacher muriel barbery. The elegance of the hedgehog aspires to be great and pretends to philosophy. May 28, 2009 muriel barbery is a former lecturer in philosophy and bestselling author. The elegance of the hedgehog is a highwire performance.
This novel speaks not only of film, music, and literature, but also reflects on the more subtle and forgotten arts of relationship, perception, and understanding. Despite its cutesy air of chocolatebox paris, the elegance of the hedgehog is, by the end, quite radical in its stand against french classism and hypocrisy. The elegance of the hedgehog is a novel by the french novelist and philosophy teacher muriel barbery. As previously mentioned, these parts of the book gave me the impression that barbery perhaps wanted to write a book on philosophy, but chose instead to disguise it thinly, i might add, in a hodgepodge of disturbed characters who need serious therapy. The elegance of the hedgehog is a novel i would probably never have considered reading had it not been selected as part of a bookclub recommendation. Robert adams on the elegance of the hedgehog duration. This novel speaks not only of film, music, and literature, but also reflects on the more subtle and forgotten arts of relationship, perception. The elegance of the hedgehog muriel barbery europa editions. We are in the center of paris, in an elegant apartment buildi. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery, book. We are in an elegant hotel particulier in the center of paris.
The elegance of the hedgehog book by muriel barbery. The elegance of the hedgehog book king county library. The second novel but first to be published in the united states from francebased author barbery teaches philosophical lessons by shrewdly exposing rich secret lives hidden beneath conventional exteriors. Download pdf the elegance of the hedgehog book full free. Published in france in 2006 and in the uk in 2008, it has gone on to sell more than 6 million copies worldwide and has been described by le figaro as the publishing phenomenon of the decade. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery, paperback. Read an excerpt by purchasing this digital edition you have been granted right to its private use only. Walking a careful line between popular and literary fiction. The elegance of the hedgehog is a novel by writer muriel barbery. Its very much a characterdriven book with little plot, but once the characters begin to grab you, youll be hooked. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery the guardian. For this reason, renee goes to great lengths to hide the. The book follows events in the life of a concierge. Translated by alison anderson and published in the us by europa editions in 2008.
The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. An exlibrary book and may have standard library stamps andor stickers. The elegance of the hedgehog quotes by muriel barbery. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 325 pages and is available in paperback format. For this reason, renee goes to great lengths to hide the fact that she often spends her days reading marx and tolstoy. It has been a bestseller in france, spain, germany, italy, south korea, and america. The book topped the french bestseller lists for 30 consecutive weeks and was reprinted 50 times. The elegance of the hedgehog available for download and read online in other formats. Free download or read online the elegance of the hedgehog pdf epub book. Michael dirda, the washington post the elegance of the hedgehog is about love.
In short, she is everything society expects from a concierge at a bourgeois building. Muriel barbery is a former lecturer in philosophy and the bestselling author of impacshortlisted novel the elegance of the hedgehog. A chicago suntimes favorite book of the year praise for the elegance of the hedgehog gently satirical, exceptionally winning and inevitably bitersweet. Review of the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery. Paloma learns her lessons, of course, but the central figure is the concierge. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery book club. Over the years she has maintained her carefully constructed persona as someone reliable but totally uncultivated, in keeping, she feels, with. The phenomenal new york times bestseller that explores the upstairsdownstairs goingson of a posh parisian apartment building publishers weekly.
Aug 26, 2008 the second novel but first to be published in the united states from francebased author barbery teaches philosophical lessons by shrewdly exposing rich secret lives hidden beneath conventional exteriors. I would have loved to love the elegance of the hedgehog and truthfully, i dont hate it. The two main characters in the book are renee michel and paloma josse. By may 2008 it had sold more than a million copies and has been a bestseller in france, italy. The elegance of the hedgehog is, by the end, quite. What is the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery about. The elegance of the hedgehog audiobook by muriel barbery.
This book will save your life the elegance of the hedgehog has been described as a toolbox one can look into to resolve lifes problems, a lifetransforming read, and a lifeaffirming book. Dec 25, 2018 the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery originally published in france in 2006. Or will muriel barberys studied yet appealing commercial hit be a purely european phenomenon, exposing a cultural fault line. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery book chat duration. The the elegance of the hedgehog community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery originally published in france in 2006. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery books. Renee is the concierge of a grand parisian apartment building on the left bank. Pdf the elegance of the hedgehog book by muriel barbery. Do you feel this is an accurate characterization of the novel. The elegantly hedgehoglike madame renee michel of the book s title is a 50something. Renee, the buildings concierge, is short, ugly, and plump.
710 1001 396 875 669 937 364 576 1035 1305 469 1103 819 887 1243 807 331 558 561 525 482 827 183 1372 483 1471 262 1600 599 26 310 6 495 1519 434 1390 616 700 1245 1236 392 452 348 683 1247 1216 520 1118 562