A Single Rose by Muriel Barbery

$30.00 NZD

Category: Fiction

From the bestselling author of The Elegance of the Hedgehog comes a story about a woman's journey, in which she discovers the father she never knew and a love she never thought possible. Rose has turned forty, but has barely begun to live. When her Japanese father dies and she finds herself an orphan, s From the bestselling author of The Elegance of the Hedgehog comes a story about a woman's journey, in which she discovers the father she never knew and a love she never thought possible. Rose has turned forty, but has barely begun to live. When her Japanese father dies and she finds herself an orphan, she leaves France for Kyoto to hear the reading of his will. Paul, her father's assistant, takes Rose on a mysterious pilgrimage designed by her deceased father. Her bitterness is soothed by the temples, Zen gardens and teahouses, and by her encounters with her father's friends. As she recognises what she has lost, and as secrets are divulged, Rose learns to accept a part of herself that she has never before acknowledged. Through her father's itinerary, he opens his heart posthumously to his daughter, and Rose finds love where she least expects it. This stunning fifth novel from international bestseller Muriel Barbery is a mesmerising story of second chances, of beauty born out of grief. Muriel Barbery is the author of the New York Times bestseller, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Gourmet Rhapsody, The Life of Elve sand A Strange Country. She has lived in Kyoto, Amsterdam, and Paris, and now lives in the French countryside. Alison Anderson's many translations include novels by Nobel Prize winner J-M.G. Le Clézio, Anna Galvada, Amélie Nothomb, Hélène Grémillon, as well as Muriel Barbery's earlier novels.  'Muriel Barbery sows beauty on every page.' Elle ' An ode to Japan...a magnificent, resonant, finely crafted novel.' Le Monde ...Show more

A Strange Country by Muriel Barbery

$35.00 NZD

Category: Fiction

'Where did you come from?' he asked. 'From the bridge,' Petrus answered. 'The bridge that links our world to yours.' Then, after a silence: 'It is invisible to you.' During the longest war humankind has endured, two young Spanish officers abandon their post to follow the charismatic Petrus across a brid 'Where did you come from?' he asked. 'From the bridge,' Petrus answered. 'The bridge that links our world to yours.' Then, after a silence: 'It is invisible to you.' During the longest war humankind has endured, two young Spanish officers abandon their post to follow the charismatic Petrus across a bridge only he can see. In a place of lingering mists, poetry, music and natural wonders, the fate of our world and its living creatures will be decided. Yet this world too is under threat. Will harmony and beauty prevail over darkness and death? An ode to the power of the imagination, the sequel to The Life of Elves echoes our own global border disputes and climate disaster. A Strange Country, by the author of The Elegance of the Hedgehog, is a literary fantasy for fans of Kazuo Ishiguro, Margaret Atwood and David Mitchell.    ...Show more

Gourmet Rhapsody by Muriel Barbery

$10.00 NZD

Category: Fiction | Reading Level: very good

From the author of the New York Times bestseller, "The Elegance of the Hedgehog." In the heart of Paris, in the posh building made famous in "The Elegance of the Hedgehog," Pierre Athens, the greatest food critic in the world, is dying. Revered by some and reviled by many, Monsieur Arthens has been lord From the author of the New York Times bestseller, "The Elegance of the Hedgehog." In the heart of Paris, in the posh building made famous in "The Elegance of the Hedgehog," Pierre Athens, the greatest food critic in the world, is dying. Revered by some and reviled by many, Monsieur Arthens has been lording it over the world's most esteemed chefs for years, passing judgment on their creations, deciding their fates with a stroke of his pen, destroying and building reputations on a whim. But now, during these his final hours, his mind has turned to simpler things. He is desperately searching for that singular flavor, that sublime something once sampled, never forgotten, "the Flavor" par excellence. Indeed, this flamboyant and self-absorbed man desires only one thing before he dies: one last taste. Thus begins a charming voyage that traces the career of Monsieur Arthens from childhood to maturity across a celebration of all manner of culinary delights. Alternating with the voice of the supercilious Arthens is a chorus belonging to his acquaintances and familiars-relatives, lovers, a would-be protA(c)gA(c), even a cat. Each will have his or her say about M. Arthens, a man who has inspired only extreme emotions in people. Here, as in "The Elegance of Hedgehog," Muriel Barbery's story celebrates life's simple pleasures and sublime moments while condemning the arrogance and vulgarity of power. First published in France 2000; this translation 2009. ...Show more

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

$29.99 NZD

Category: Fiction | Reading Level: very good

The enthralling international bestseller. We are in the center of Paris, in an elegant apartment building inhabited by bourgeois families. Renee, the concierge, is witness to the lavish but vacuous lives of her numerous employers. Outwardly she conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: fat, cantank The enthralling international bestseller. We are in the center of Paris, in an elegant apartment building inhabited by bourgeois families. Renee, the concierge, is witness to the lavish but vacuous lives of her numerous employers. Outwardly she conforms to every stereotype of the concierge: fat, cantankerous, addicted to television. Yet, unbeknownst to her employers, Renee is a cultured autodidact who adores art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture. With humor and intelligence she scrutinizes the lives of the building's tenants, who for their part are barely aware of her existence. Then there's Paloma, a twelve-year-old genius. She is the daughter of a tedious parliamentarian, a talented and startlingly lucid child who has decided to end her life on the sixteenth of June, her thirteenth birthday. Until then she will continue behaving as everyone expects her to behave: a mediocre pre-teen high on adolescent subculture, a good but not an outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter. Paloma and Renee hide both their true talents and their finest qualities from a world they suspect cannot or will not appreciate them. They discover their kindred souls when a wealthy Japanese man named Ozu arrives in the building. Only he is able to gain Paloma's trust and to see through Renee's timeworn disguise to the secret that haunts her. This is a moving, funny, triumphant novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us. ...Show more

The Elegance of the Hedgehog (Audio) by Muriel Barbery

$76.00 NZD

Category: Fashion and Music

An enchanting "New York Times" and international bestseller and award-winner about life, art, literature, philosophy, culture, class, privilege, and power, seen through the eyes of a 54-year old French concierge and a precocious but troubled 12-year-old girl. Renee Michel is the 54-year-old concierge of An enchanting "New York Times" and international bestseller and award-winner about life, art, literature, philosophy, culture, class, privilege, and power, seen through the eyes of a 54-year old French concierge and a precocious but troubled 12-year-old girl. Renee Michel is the 54-year-old concierge of a luxury Paris apartment building. Her exterior ("short, ugly, and plump") and demeanor ("poor, discreet, and insignificant") belie her keen, questing mind and profound erudition. Paloma Josse is a 12-year-old genius who behaves as everyone expects her to behave: a mediocre pre-teen high on adolescent subculture, a good but not outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter. She plans to kill herself on the sixteenth of June, her thirteenth birthday. Both Renee and Paloma hide their true talents and finest qualities from the bourgeois families around them, until a wealthy Japanese gentleman named Ozu moves into building. Only he sees through them, perceiving the secret that haunts Renee, winning Paloma's trust, and helping the two discover their kindred souls. Moving, funny, tender, and triumphant, Barbery's novel exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us. ...Show more

The Gourmet by Muriel Barbery

$39.00 NZD

Category: Fiction

The Gourmet by Muriel Barbery

$39.99 NZD

Category: Fiction

France's greatest food critic is dying, after a lifetime in single-minded pursuit of sensual delights. But as Pierre Arthens lies on his death bed, he is tormented by an inability to recall the most delicious food to ever pass his lips, which he ate long before becoming a critic. Desperate to taste it o France's greatest food critic is dying, after a lifetime in single-minded pursuit of sensual delights. But as Pierre Arthens lies on his death bed, he is tormented by an inability to recall the most delicious food to ever pass his lips, which he ate long before becoming a critic. Desperate to taste it one more time, he looks back over the years to see if he can pin down the elusive dish. Revealing far more than his love of great food, the narration by this larger-than-life individual alternates with the voices of those closest to him and their own experiences of the man. Muriel Barbery's gifts as an evocative storyteller are put to mouth-watering use in this voluptuous and poignant meditation on food and its deeper significance in our lives. A delectable treat to savour. ...Show more

The Life of Elves by Muriel Barbery

$15.84 NZD

$37.00 (57% off)

Category: Graphic Novels | Reading Level: very good

A moving and deeply felt homage to the power of nature and art by one of the world's most beloved authors. Do two young girls have the power to change the world? Maria, raised by powerful older women, lives in a remote village in Burgundy, where she discovers her gift of clairvoyance, of healing and of A moving and deeply felt homage to the power of nature and art by one of the world's most beloved authors. Do two young girls have the power to change the world? Maria, raised by powerful older women, lives in a remote village in Burgundy, where she discovers her gift of clairvoyance, of healing and of communicating with nature. Hundreds of miles away in Italy, Clara discovers her musical genius and is sent from the countryside to Rome to nurture her extraordinary abilities. Who are the mysterious elves? Will they succeed in training the girls for their higher purpose in the face of an impending war? Barbery's The Life of Elves is the story of two children whose amazing talents will bring them into contact with magical worlds and malevolent forces. If, against all odds, they can be brought together, their meeting may shape the course of history. Seven years after the publication of her international bestseller, The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Muriel Barbery returns with an inspiring novel about finding the divine in the domestic, about the quest for enchantment. With its cast of unforgettable characters, each fighting to preserve the idea of an enhanced life, The Life of Elves is a luminous novel about art, nature, dreams, the power of love, and how imagination can help us build a bridge to a better future. ...Show more

The Life of Elves by Muriel Barbery

$26.00 NZD

Category: Fiction

Do two young girls have the power to change the world? Maria, raised by powerful older women, lives in a remote village in Burgundy, where she discovers her gift of clairvoyance, of healing and of communicating with nature. Hundreds of miles away in Italy, Clara discovers her musical genius and is sent Do two young girls have the power to change the world? Maria, raised by powerful older women, lives in a remote village in Burgundy, where she discovers her gift of clairvoyance, of healing and of communicating with nature. Hundreds of miles away in Italy, Clara discovers her musical genius and is sent from the countryside to Rome to nurture her extraordinary abilities. Who are the mysterious elves? Will they succeed in training the girls for their higher purpose in the face of an impending war? Barbery's The Life of Elves is the story of two children whose amazing talents will bring them into contact with magical worlds and malevolent forces. If, against all odds, they can be brought together, their meeting may shape the course of history. Muriel Barbery's inspiring novel is about finding the divine in the domestic, about the quest for enchantment. With its cast of unforgettable characters, each fighting to preserve the idea of an enhanced life, The Life of Elves is a luminous novel about art, nature, dreams, the power of love, and how imagination can help us build a bridge to a better future. ...Show more