The Woman with the Bouquet

In his new collection of stories, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, author of The Most Beautiful Book in the World, probes the paradox that the events that shape our lives are often the stuff of dreams, yet nonetheless true. Humor, tenderness, irony, and exquisite writing have always been the hallmarks of Schmitt's work. Here, he adds a pinch of philosophy.

In one story, a lovelorn writer seeks refuge in Ostende, a remote and charming town on the North Sea. His host is a solitary and eccentric octogenarian. The fairy-tale setting starts to work its magic and the old woman begins to tell her tale--an extraordinary story of passion. Bewitched by what he hears, the writer can no longer distinguish what is real from what is not, and in the woman's account he will finally find a response to his own deep-seated grief. Here, as in the other stories in this collection, Schmitt displays the combination of stylishness and insight into the human condition that prompted Kirkus Reviews to write of his tales that they "echo Maupassant's with their lean narratives, surprise endings, mordant humor and psychological acuity."

An exceptional collection by one of Europe's most beloved authors.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Europa Editions
Published: 08/31/2010
ISBN: 9781933372815
Pages: 224
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 8.20h x 5.30w x 0.70d

Review Citations: Publishers Weekly 07/19/2010
Kirkus Reviews 07/15/2010
Library Journal 09/01/2010 pg. 105
Foreword 08/17/2010