The Inelegance of Time

Noteworthy


Apologies to those that visit Salonica regularly for I have been quite lax with the posts.  Largely, this is due to the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books that happened this past weekend.  It was a great Festival all the way around - more panels with newer authors and fantastic topical discussions about the state of publishing and the web 3.0, writing outside of the mainstream and authors from around the world. Thanks to Michael Reynolds of Europa Editions, I had the grand pleasure of attending a private book discussion and reception with Muriel Barbery, author of 
The Elegance of the Hedgehog and September 2009 release of Gourmet Rhapsody.  I originally reviewed The Elegance of the Hedgehog for Three Percent and found the discussion with Mrs. Barbery engaging and illuminating.  Warm, accessible and modest, Mrs. Barbery talked about her writing process as well as how the two narrators of the book (Paloma and Renee) evolved and her love of words.  Barbery purposefully infuses Renee's narrative with archaic words to not only add fine detail to the character of Renee but also to take advantage of Barbery's own love of language.  Allison Anderson does well to let this come across in the translation.  One of the things that impressed me is that Barbery and her husband, a talented photographer, were able to move to Kyoto, Japan from the earnings of this book.  Japanese culture and character play an integral part in her The Elegance of the Hedgehog because it has always been of dream of Barbery's to live in Japan.  It's nice to now how fiction, reality and dreams can connect and provide happiness for so many.

Even more exciting is that Mrs. Barbery has agreed to an interview with me in the next couple of months.  I am currently reading her first book, Une Gourmadise(to be released in US as Gourmet Rhapsody), which focuses on a character that plays a small part in The Elegance of the Hedgehog.  I cannot reveal too much about this character from either book without being a plot spoiler for both.  But trust me, it all works well together.  Hopefully, the interview will coincide with the release of the novel in the US.  I look forward to another publication of Barbery's work considering the wonderful success it has garnered here.  Also, check out her site(in French, bien sur!) that features her husband's lovely photography.  A la prochaine...


Posted by Monica at 4/27/2009 8:57 AM
Categories: Muriel Barbery
Tags: Muriel Barbery French Fiction Paris
Previous Post
Next Post

 

What did you think of this article?




Trackbacks
Trackback specific URL for this post
  • No trackbacks exist for this post.
Comments
  • No comments exist for this post.
Leave a comment

Submitted comments are subject to moderation before being displayed.

 Name (required)

 Email (will not be published) (required)

 Website

Your comment is 0 characters limited to 3000 characters.