Robert Adams Book Review - The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Robert Adams
Book Review

Robert Adams
returns, by popular demand, to review
The Elegance of
the Hedgehog
by Muriel Barbery

October 5
TUESDAY
8pm

October 6
WEDNESDAY
2pm

Hart House Theatre
Hart House Theatre website
Map to Hart House Theatre

The lecture on The Elegance of the Hedgehog will be given in Toronto and Montreal.

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About The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Renée is the concierge of a grand Parisian apartment building, home to members of the great and the good. Over the years she has maintained her carefully constructed persona as someone reliable but totally uncultivated, in keeping, she feels, with society's expectations of what a concierge should be. But beneath this facade lies the real Renée passionate about culture and the arts, and more knowledgeable in many ways than her employers with their outwardly successful but emotionally void lives.

Down in her lodge, apart from weekly visits by her one friend Manuela, Renée lives resigned to her lonely lot with only her cat for company. Meanwhile, several floors up, twelve-year-old Paloma Josse is determined to avoid the pampered and vacuous future laid out for her, and decides to end her life on her thirteenth birthday. But unknown to them both, the sudden death of one of their privileged neighbours will dramatically alter their lives forever.

By turn moving and hilarious, this unusual novel became the the French publishing phenomenon of 2007: from an initial print run of 3,000 to sales of over 2 million in hardback. It took 35 weeks to reach the number one bestseller spot but has now spent longer in the French bestseller lists than Dan Brown.

The translation rights have been sold to 31 countries. The Elegance of the Hedgehog featured in Paris Match magazine in "highlights of 2007" along with the iPhone and Facebook. In Italy, the novel has sold 400,000 copies to date and has been among the top five bestsellers since September, 2007. Recently published in Germany '"The Hedgehog" is at number 9 on the top ten list, and climbing.The title is to be published in English simultaneously in UK and US.

Muriel Barbery teaches philosophy. The Elegance of the Hedgehog is her second novel, which has been highly acclaimed in the press and was awarded the Prix du Rotary international 2007.

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Praise for The Elegance of the Hedgehog

"Resistance is futile... you might as well buy it before someone recommends it for your book group. Its charm will make you say yes."
- The Guardian

"Clever, informative and moving... this is an admirable novel which deserves as wide a readership here as it had in France."
- The Observer

"...the novel wins over its fans with a life-affirming message, a generous portion of heart and Barbery's frequently wicked sense of humor."
- Time Magazine

"A book of great charm and grace."
- The Metro

"...the book's attractive , Amélie-esque, Parisian setting and cast of eccentrics will appeal to many..."
- Sunday Telegraph

"...reveals itself as a version of the Cinderella fairytale..."
- Financial Times

"This breathtakingly singular novel... is totally French yet completely universal."
- Good Housekeeping

"A dream of a book, destined to be a classic."
- Scott Pack

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Biography of Robert Adams

Robert Adams is a Welsh-born teacher, writer, and critic. For 11 years in Montreal and 8 years in Toronto, he presented an annual series of book reviews to sold out audiences in both cities. He has often been profiled on television, including PBS, and his lectures were shown on TV Ontario for 5 years. They are still shown on Book TV. His biography of the artist alexander Bercovitch was shortlisted for the 1988 QSPELL Award and A Love of Reading, the first of 2 collections of his lectures, was a national bestseller in 2001. He now lectures all over the world on the 6-Star Crystal Cruise Line.

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"rave reviews for reviewer....absolutely outstanding"
- Montreal Gazette

"a real tour de force performance"
- Toronto Star

"Robert Adams has invented a new art form"
- NOW Magazine

"a prodigiously well-read and highly articulate speaker"
- Quill & Quire

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Robert Adams Book Review - The Elegance of the Hedgehog

Hart House Theatre
Tue Oct 05 2010, 8:00pm
Wed Oct 06 2010, 2:00pm


Ticket Sales Begin:
Fri Dec 18 2009, 11:00am

Ticket Prices:
general admission - $35.00

For More Information:
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Phone: (416) 978-8849
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