Author Biography | Interview | Books by this Author | Read-Alikes
Muriel Barbery's novels include the New York Times bestseller, The Elegance of the Hedgehog (Europa, 2008), and Gourmet Rhapsody (Europa, 2009). She is also the author of The Writer's Cats, illustrated by Maria Guitart, a short tale about esthetics, inspiration, the writing life, and cats. Barbery has lived in Kyōto, Amsterdam, and Paris, and now lives in the French countryside.
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Before becoming a literary sensation in 2007, Barbery had published Une
gourmandise (to be published in 2009 by Europa Editions), a novel that was
awarded the Bacchus-Bsn Prize. But then “He” arrived in all his reserved and
entertaining elegance, the Hedgehog. 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' word-of-mouth publicity and its having
been awarded an array of prizes. The author of this masterpiece, Muriel Barbery,
is thirty-nine years old, currently resident in Japan.
What sensations does being the publishing sensation of the year provoke?
Surprise, incredulity and joy! When the book was first published in France, in
September 2006, I thought that nobody would read it and I was readying myself
for some other pursuit, in addition to teaching. The fact that the book
corresponded to the tastes of readers, and that it has crossed the borders into
other countries, surprises me. I still cannot completely explain to myself what
happened. I am, also, incredibly happy about this unexpected fate. This success
has allowed me to realize some of my dreams, to live in Japan and to ...
Niccolò Ammaniti was born in Rome in 1966. He is the author of three novels, as well as a collection of short stories. At thirty-four, he was the youngest ever winner of the prestigious Viareggio-Repaci prize for I'm Not... (more)
If you enjoyed:
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Try:
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Chloe Aridjis is a Mexican–American writer who was born in New York and grew up in the Netherlands and Mexico. After completing her Ph.D. at the University of Oxford in nineteenth–century French poetry and magic ... (more)
If you enjoyed:
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Try:
Asunder
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