In many other countries, while it may not have made the bestseller lists, it nonetheless has enjoyed considerable success. The translation from the original french is simply amazing. The novels two narrators alternate chapters, but the book is dominated by renee, a widowed concierge in her 50s who calls herself short, ugly. Sep 02, 2008 renee is the concierge of a grand parisian apartment building, home to members of the great and the good. 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.
Jun 10, 2010 in closing, we found that our topics and interpretations frequently hit the mark when compared to the book club discussion questions issued by publisher and copied below. She has lived in kyoto, amsterdam and now lives in the french countryside. In 2009 the book was adapted to film, titled the hedgehog. 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. In this novel, renee michel is a concierge who believes that every concierge is perceived as unintelligent by those for whom they work. The elegance of the hedgehog muriel barbery book club in a box. Its time for the book club edition of the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barberry, obviously this does contain spoilers and im sorry that the footage managed to. Free download or read online the elegance of the hedgehog pdf epub book. If, against all odds, they can be brought together, their meeting may shape the course of history. Pdf the elegance of the hedgehog download full pdf book. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the elegance of the hedgehog. A club where we dive into fresh english translations of standout fiction from around the world. The elegance of the hedgehog quotes by muriel barberypage 4. The elegance of the hedgehog the gonzales inquirer.
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. The elegance of the hedgehog muriel barbery, 2007 penguin group usa 336 pp. It is assumed that you have read the book before reading posts in this thread, as the discussion might give away crucial points, and the. Were given an odd assortment of colorful characters, including a gifted 12 year old who wants to kill herself and a concierge who has a secret life. Paloma is the daughter of an upperclass family living in the. Pdf the elegance of the hedgehog book by muriel barbery. The elegance of the hedgehog kindle edition by barbery. Its essentially a feelgood book with philosophical aspirations, a.
Get an answer for in the book the elegance of the hedgehog, explain the philosophies of, husserl,and kants idealism. The elegance of the hedgehog the phenomenal new york times bestseller that explores the upstairsdownstairs goingson of a posh parisian apartment building publishers weekly. The elegance of the hedgehog is a highwire performance. This month the book club discusses the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel. Its very much a characterdriven book with little plot, but once the characters begin to grab you, youll be hooked. Pretentious and devastating, but im glad that i read it. Critic and educator robert adams lectures on the elegance of the hedgehog. I was only reading it because it was suggested as a book club read. This discussion companion for the elegance of the hedgehog has been prepared and written by marilyn herbert, originator of bookclubinabox. This months book club pick is the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery, translated from the french by alison anderson. Barbery attained fame with her second novel the elegance of the hedgehog.
Click download or read online button to get the elegance of the hedgehog book now. Lelegance du herisson is a novel by the french novelist and philosophy teacher. The elegance of the hedgehog is an absolutely breathtaking book. Book club purchases receive a 10% discount at bookworks. The elegance of the hedgehog is, by the end, quite. Weve chosen an eclectic, ambitious list of books for the coming year. A moving, funny, triumphant novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us. It has been a bestseller in france, spain, germany, italy, south korea, and america. The elegance of the hedgehog audiobook by muriel barbery. Bookclubinabox presents the discussion companion for. I admired it, felt like it attempted to deal with some interesting ideas but was somewhat annoyed by the first person voice and the way she was always telling the reader what every single event in the story meant and how i was suppose to think about it. Do you feel this is an accurate characterization of the novel.
Renee, the concierge, is witness to the lavish but vacuous lives of her numerous employers. We are in the center of paris, in an elegant apartment building inhabited by bourgeois families. In an elegant hotel particulier in paris, renee, the concierge, is all but invisibleshort, plump, middleaged, with bunions on her feet and an addiction to television soaps. The elegance of the hedgehog is a study in the dichotomy of the hidden inner self versus outer perceptions. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery book club. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery jenny chose this book which has sold like wildfire in its native france, and, by the time my copy was printed in 2008, over 2. The elegance of the hedgehog download ebook pdf, epub. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. This novel, published originally in french, proved a study in the cultural differences between america and france. The book topped the french bestseller lists for 30 consecutive weeks and was reprinted 50 times. The phenomenal new york times bestseller that explores the upstairsdownstairs goingson of a posh parisian apartment building publishers weekly. Discussion questions, the elegance of the hedgehog by. Muriel barbery is the author of the new york times bestseller, the elegance of the hedgehog europa, 2008, and gourmet rhapsody europa, 2009.
The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery the elegance of the hedgehog the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery deals with class and how some of the more affluent members of society treat others in a lower class as if they are invisible. Paloma acts the part of a typical preteen high on pop culture, good but not great at school, obedient but obstinate at. The elegance of the hedgehog cdaudio quail ridge books. 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.
Bookclubinabox is a unique guide to current fic tion and classic literature intended for book club discussions, edu. Sep, 2008 it is a profound but accessible book not quite proust, then, which elegantly treads the line between literary and commercial fiction. Its time for the book club edition of the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barberry, obviously this does contain spoilers and im sorry that. The elegance of the hedgehog available for download and read online in other formats. The elegance of the hedgehog kindle edition by barbery, muriel, alison anderson. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery, paperback.
The elegance of the hedgehog book club kit saint paul. Books 2000 gourmet rhapsody, europa editions 2009, engl. Light and airy, yet penetrating, with bits of soft brilliance on every page. 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. One of the most popular independent bookstore picks of the past year, this quirky and intelligent novel is a fabulous read. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. It was first published in its home country in 2005 and in the united states in 2008 as a gorgeous europa edition. Dimick open book club, the elegance of the hedgehog, by muriel barbery about the author. Its time for the book club edition of the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barberry, obviously this does contain spoilers and im sorry that the footage managed to get lost somewhere in france. The elegance of the hedgehog june cc book club selection. The elegance of the hedgehog is a pleasant story with a. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery reading. Muriel barbery is a french novelist and professor of philosophy. The elegance of the hedgehog quotes showing 91120 of 419 i thought i had found my calling, i thought id understood that in order to heal, i could heal others, or at least the other healable people, the ones who can be saved instead of moping because i cant save other people.
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. Book summary a moving, funny, triumphant novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us. Then there is paloma josse, a 12yearold intellectual prodigy whose rich and prominent family is living in the building. We had a large group to discuss the elegance of the hedgehog and a. Review of the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery. If it had not been the assigned book for one of the book clubs i belong to, i would have deleted it from my kindle within an hour of starting. And, if the idea is that it is a book that pleases readers but not critics, do you think this could be true.
Bookworks book club meets monthly on the second wednesday and is free and open to the public. The international bestseller that has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Lelegance du herisson is a novel by the french novelist and philosophy teacher muriel barbery. Renee is everything society expects from a concierge short, ugly, plump, and cantankerous, with bunions on her feet and an addiction to soap operas. In closing, we found that our topics and interpretations frequently hit the mark when compared to the book club discussion questions issued by publisher and copied below. The phenomenal new york times bestseller that explores the. Discussion of the elegance of the hedgehog online book clubs. The elegance of the hedgehog is a great book, written with stylistically lovely prose and biting wit. The the elegance of the hedgehog community note includes chapterbychapter summary and analysis, character list, theme list, historical context, author biography and quizzes written by community members like you. The elegance of the hedgehog has been published in 35 languages, in over 25 countries. Discuss the book of the month and receive a ten percent discount on purchases. Do you feel this is an accurate characterization of. Seven years after the publication of her international bestseller, the elegance of the hedgehog, muriel barbery returns with an inspiring novel about finding the divine in the domestic, about the quest for enchantment.
Renee, the concierge of a grand parisian apartment building. A huge bestseller in its native france and elsewhere in europe, now available in english 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. That is until a japanese businessman moves into the building and brings the two characters together. The elegance of the hedgehog, a best seller in france and several other countries, belongs to a distinct subgenre. At the 34 mark of the book, humanity attempts to take hold, but fails. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 325 pages and is available in paperback format. The elegance of the hedgehog book club kit arapahoe. In the book the elegance of the hedgehog, explain the. This is another translated work from its original french. Oct 24, 2008 the elegance of the hedgehog has apparently sold a million copies in france, where it is a proverbial publishing phenomenon. The elegance of the hedgehog has apparently sold a million copies in france, where it is a proverbial publishing phenomenon.
The elegance of the hedgehog book club kit vancouver public. The elegance of the hedgehog book by muriel barbery. This is not to say that the book wont be hugely successful in the. Marilyn herbert is a teacher, librarian, speak er, and writer. A sales associate at my favorite bookstore recommended this book because. A chicago suntimes favorite book of the year praise for the elegance of the hedgehog gently satirical, exceptionally winning and inevitably bitersweet. Her third novel, the life of elves, a fantastical fable in which elves serve as intermediaries between the human and natural worlds, is a departure from barberys normal realism. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery goodreads. For this reason, renee goes to great lengths to hide the fact that she often spends her days reading marx and tolstoy. This months book club pick is the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery, translated from the french by alison anderson the international bestseller that has sold over 10 million copies worldwide. Jul 31, 2016 its time for the book club edition of the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barberry, obviously this does contain spoilers and im sorry that the footage managed to get lost somewhere in france. Discussion questions, the elegance of the hedgehog by shelley. The first edition of the novel was published in august 2006, and was written by muriel barbery. The elegance of the hedgehog book club kit vancouver.
Book club discussion questions on muriel barberys the elegance of the hedgehog. For this reason, renee goes to great lengths to hide the. Very first impressions were that it was a bit pretentious and somewhat academic in tone and presentation. True life is elsewhere one french critic called the elegance of the hedgehog the ultimate celebration of every persons invisible part. In an elegant h tel particulier in paris, ren e, the concierge, is all but invisibleshort, plump, middleaged, with bunions on her feet and an addiction to television soaps. The main characters of this fiction, book club story are renee michel, paloma josse. One minor point, my niece just turned and is so happy that now finally she belongs to the magical club of teenagers. Renee is the concierge of a grand parisian apartment building, home to members of the great and the good. On march 9, the long branch book club met to discuss the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery.
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. Sep 07, 2008 the elegance of the hedgehog, a best seller in france and several other countries, belongs to a distinct subgenre. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barberythis book was a huge success in barberys native france and it isnt hard to see why, writes philippa lewis. Translated by alison anderson and published in the us by europa editions in 2008. Aug 01, 2012 it is assumed that you have read the book before reading posts in this thread, as the discussion might give away crucial points, and the continuous use of spoiler tags might hinder fluent reading of posts. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. A curious look at life, love, philosophy, art and literature as seen through the eyes of a 54yearold concierge and her 12yearold tenant. Elegance of the hedgehog, the muriel barbery bookclub. Review of the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery, plus backstory and other interesting facts about the book. Until a new tenant moves into their building, this plan has worked well but no longer. Download pdf the elegance of the hedgehog book full free.
The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery book club forum. In other words, then came that jewel of a book that swept aside every other bestseller in france, reaching sales of over a million copies thanks to its readers wordofmouth publicity and its having been awarded an array of prizes. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery book chat. Pdf the elegance of the hedgehog download full pdf. May 16, 2010 book club discussion questions on muriel barberys the elegance of the hedgehog.
This french novel has been languishing on my tbr list for a few years. Mar 12, 2020 need a great new book for your book club. The end of your life book club is a profoundly moving testament to the unconditional love between a child and parent, and the power of reading. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery penguin september 2008 325pp no spoilers the short of it. Michael dirda, the washington post the elegance of the hedgehog is about love. How do these relate to renee and paloma what is the dilemma of determnism. My name is renee, and im the first protagonist of this book the hedgehog, as it were. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery and alison anderson overview the phenomenal new york times bestseller that explores the upstairsdownstairs goingson of a posh parisian apartment building publishers weekly. 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. Elegance of the hedgehog offers great discussion possibilities.
But then he arrived in all his reserved and entertaining elegance, the hedgehog. The elegance of the hedgehog is a novel by writer muriel barbery. Dec 25, 2018 the elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery originally published in france in 2006. Book club the elegance of the hedgehog muriel barbery. The elegance of the hedgehog by muriel barbery reading guide. Books similar to the elegance of the hedgehog the elegance of the hedgehog. Although they are passing strangers, it is through renees observations and palomas journal entries that the elegance of the hedgehog reveals the absurd lives of the wealthy. Elegance of the hedgehog, the muriel barbery bookclubin.
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