Title: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK IN THE WORLD: Eight Novellas
Translated from the French by: ALISON ANDERSON
Author: ERIC-EMMANUEL SCHMITT
Type of Book: SOFTCOVER
Genre: NOVELLAS, SHORT STORIES
Length: 181 PAGES
Publisher: EUROPA EDITIONS
Release Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-9933372-74-7
Price: $15.00 USD / $18.00 CAN
Rating: 5 OUT OF 5 STARS 🌟🌟🌟🌟
MY REVIEW:
STORY # 1 – WINNIPEG WANDA
“Wanda had already figured out that she would make it on her own … Wanda concluded that it was through men that she would make her way in life.”
Seemingly cold and calculated, Wanda Winnipeg is a thrice-divorced multimillionaire. She both demands and commands attention and respect wherever she goes. Disdain is her go-to emotion.
STORY # 2 – FINE RAINY DAY
“Hėlène could not remember having ever experienced a perfect moment.”
No one and nothing was ever good enough for her. That is, until she met Antoine, whose love for her changes everything. Or does it?
STORY 3 – THE INTRUDER
Odile Versini is sure that she has just seen a woman in her apartment and not only that, but that the intruder stared right at her. Odile calls the police and stays on the phone until they arrive. However, by the time they get there the woman has somehow slipped out of the apartment.
This happens several times and Odile cannot fathom what this woman wants, why she keeps returning and exactly how she is able to get away each time. But she is determined to put a stop to it once and for all.
STORY #4 – THE FORGERY
This story, although it might not seem so at first, is all about perceptions.
STORY # 5 – EVERY REASON TO BE HAPPY
Just because all your friends and acquaintances say that you every reason to be happy, does not guarantee that you are.
STORY # 6 – THE BAREFOOT PRINCESS
Appearances can be deceiving.
STORY # 7 – ODETTE TOULEMOND
Perhaps happiness and fulfillment can come from unexpected places.
STORY # 8 – THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOK IN THE WORLD
This story is the best one out of the eight and is set in a Russian gulag housing female political dissidents in the 1950s.
OVERALL
This collection of novellas is full of stories that prove that author Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt is a supremely talented writer who is able to connect with readers all over the world. He has his finger firmly placed on the pulse of the human condition which enables his stories to mean different things to different people.
I have read many short story anthologies but this one is the most unique. I recommend this collection to anyone who enjoys literary fiction.
The novellas were originally written in French and have been translated into English by the gifted translator Alison Anderson. She has used her impressive talents to allow the reader to still experience the richness of a foreign culture while being able to stay true to the author’s vision.
I rate this book 5 out of 5 stars and I encourage everyone to pick up a copy of this book. In fact, it would make a unique Christmas gift for the book lover in your life. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
ERIC-EMMANUEL SCHMITT – playwright, novelist, and author of short stories, was awarded the French Academy’s Grand Prix du Théâtre in 2001.
He is one of Europe’s most popular authors. His many novels and story collections include The Most Beautiful Book in the World (Europa Editions 2009) and The Woman with the Bouquet (Europa Editions 2010).
Visit the author’s official web site
ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR:
ALISON ANDERSON is the author of the forthcoming novel The Summer Guest.
She spent many years in California; she now lives in a Swiss village and works as a literary translator.
Her translations include The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery, and works by Nobel laureate J. M. G. Le Clézio. She has also written two previous novels and is the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts Literary Translation Fellowship.
She has lived in Greece and Croatia, and speaks several European languages, including Russian.
Visit her official website HERE.
Amie's Book Reviews 