This weekend something wonderful happened. Our television and internet went out. At first I thought it was a catastrophe, because I was a week behind Gossip Girl and Grey's. Instead of watching my shows, I was able to finish my latest book : The Elegance of the Hedgehog, and decided it was a far better use of my time.
The defining quote: "Madame Michel has the elegance of the hedgehog: on the outside, she's covered in quills, a real fortress, but my gut feeling is that on the inside, she has the same simple refinement as the hedgehog: a deceptively indolent little creature, fiercely solitary - and terribly elegant."
And it made me wonder how many people around me are elegant like hedgehogs. Guarded and shy on the outside, but on the inside "terribly elegant" individuals, who think real thoughts and are inspired by beautiful things. And I think all of us are hedgehogs in this regard to an extent. We purposely try to be someone we are not for fear that someone will discover the very matter of who we are as people. For fear of what? Exposure? Embarrassment? Or truth?
Regardless, this book touched me very deeply. I have been thinking about the Chicago Sun -Time review of it all weekend - really I think it is spot on: "This story, like all great tales, will break your heart, but it will also make you realize - or remember - that sometimes the pain is worth it."
This book left me with a broken heart, an open mind, and an insane desire to visit France.
Have you read it?
(p.s. the part that made me laugh the hardest was when Paloma says that cats are merely mobile decorative objects).
11 comments:
I love that quote! I will definitely put that book on my list.
This kind of reminds me of my own 2010. I can't wait to read this. Thank you for recommending it!
Thanks for the review. I've been wanting to read this for the longest time, so now I finally have to pick it up!
Why someone so beautiful within not want to demonstrate their beauty? Maybe this person does not recognize himself as beautiful? Perhaps beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Maybe the outside world is something so unattractive that he did not want to participate, needing to be awakened by something or someone?
Sorry for so many questions, but they are the same I question me sometimes. Your reflection 'activated' them once again.
I liked your blog, inspiring...
i have never heard of this book. so i will put this on my book list for thanksgiving break..or maybe christmas!
loved that book.
I've never read it but now I want to!
yessss! another book to add to my ever growing list of must reads.
ooh I'll have to get that!
I love what that review said too!
I went 2 weeks without watching any television and really got tons of small things done. It kind of makes me realize how dependent we are on television and internet.
Oh my gosh! I love this book. I really like it when the teenage girl says that even if she's having second thoughts, committing suicide "still means a lot to me."
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