What Defines Elegance? And Other Philosophical Musings

To start off the new year, book discussion group members read Muriel Barbery's The Elegance of the Hedgehog. This book is set in a chic Parisian apartment, where a grumpy, disillusioned middle-aged concierge and an highly intelligent, suicidal preteen tenant both share their thoughts with the reader via journals. Philosophical thoughts, literature, and the ridiculous movements of their neighbors all fill the pages of their journals. A seismic change happens in both their lives when a new tenant arrives in the building.

At our discussion meeting, opinions were varied on the book, although most seemed to enjoy it overall. Members sipped tea and munched on French chocolate cake with plum coulis as they shared their feelings on this title. Below are some resources for those looking to learn more about the book.

Author Bios & Interviews

• http://www.europaeditions.com/author/48/muriel-barbery
• http://www.wordswithoutborders.org/contributor/muriel-barbery-alison-anderson
• https://www.bookbrowse.com/author_interviews/full/index.cfm/author_number/1656/muriel-barbery
• http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/interviews/article/3973-the-elegance-of-muriel-an-author-profile-of-muriel-barbery.html
• http://blog.timesunion.com/books/interview-with-muriel-barbery/1349/
• http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/muriel-barbery-reclusive-writer-of-the-elegance-of-the-hedgehog-returns-after-eight-year-hibernation-10114581.html 

Book Reviews

• http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/07/books/review/James-t.html 
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/11/AR2008091101955.html
• https://www.theguardian.com/books/2008/sep/14/fiction3
• http://www.publishersweekly.com/978-1-933372-60-0
• http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/fictionreviews/3562019/Review-The-Elegance-of-the-Hedgehog-by-Muriel-Barbery.html
• http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/the-elegance-of-the-hedgehog-by-muriel-barbery-trans-alison-anderson-952207.html

Discussion Questions

• http://www.litlovers.com/reading-guides/13-fiction/289-elegance-of-the-hedgehog-barbery?start=3
• http://rrlbookclub.wikifoundry.com/page/The+Elegance+of+the+Hedgehog
• http://www.seniorlearn.org/bookclubs/readerguides/Elegance_Barbery.html
• https://champaign.org/resources/pdfs/discussionguides/elegance_hedgehog_discussion.pdf
• https://thelemonzestblog.wordpress.com/2013/01/02/book-10-january-the-elegance-of-the-hedgehog/
• http://jennibeemine.com/the-elegance-of-the-hedgehog-reviewed/

Movie Tie-In

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bLq4ehVo7c [trailer video]
• http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1442519/
• https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_hedgehog/
• http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/19/movies/the-hedgehog-from-france-review.html
• https://www.timeshighereducation.com/features/culture/film-review-the-hedgehog/417286.article
• http://www.npr.org/2011/08/18/139639461/the-hedgehog-high-art-and-preteen-suicide

Miscellany

The Elegance of the Hedgehog is full of references to art, literature, culture, and other everyday beauties in life. Here are links for more information about just a few of those references. Feel free to add others in the comments below!

• Japanese culture in The Elegance of the Hedgehog - http://beryl-pieces-asia.blogspot.com/2012/01/japanese-motifs-in-muriel-barberys.html
• Manga author read by Paloma - https://www.mangaupdates.com/authors.html?id=714
• "Roses" poem by Pierre de Ronsard - http://www.sonnets.org/ronsard.htm
• Camellias - http://www.monrovia.com/plant_collection/camellias/
• Francis Bacon's art - http://francis-bacon.com/
• The opera song that Rene considered one of the finest pieces of music - http://www.classicfm.com/composers/purcell/music/dido-and-aeneas/