A S THE SISTERLESS SISTER HERE ON TSP, I’m always on the lookout for tales of non-traditional sisterhood: women who may not share biology, but find kinship all the same. Muriel Barbery’s funny and haunting novel The Elegance of the Hedgehog, a phenomenon in its native France, offers just such a relationship–not to mention a terrific, challenging read.
I should have known I’d like this book; my sister-friend Chris sent it to me for my birthday this spring. When I finally got around to reading it, I was completely sucked into this tale of a least-likely friendship between Renée, a 54-year-old concierge of a tony Paris apartment building, and Paloma, the 12-year-old daughter of one of the building’s snooty residents. When a new tenant in the building brings to light Renée’s intentionally-hidden talents, she and Paloma forge a connection that alters them both.
Barbery, once a teacher of philosophy, packs this tale with highbrow references and philosophical concepts that can put a bit of a burden on the reader. But the effort’s well worth your while.
What else is on your nightstand, or your summer must-read list? Share your book picks with your sisters.
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First time here? Here's the idea: 
No surprise, really, that sisterhood, often life’s longest relationship and always one of its most important, has been the Muse for so much creative self-expression by women, and also by men. 
As the suffix of its name suggests, 
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I’m a little behind the game in this, but I’m reading The Time Traveler’s Wife right now and I’m enjoying it, though sometimes the relationship makes me squirm.
I also just finished reading Molly’s A Homemade Life, which has the added bonus of delicious recipes!
Books with recipes ALWAYS win, Danielle. Thanks for the suggestions. And, btw, no one is more behind on reading than me. I feel like I basically didn’t read for the last eight years, and am just getting my groove back on. So keep the suggestions coming, please!
I’m loving Songs for the Butcher’s Daughter by Peter Manseau right now – highly recommend it. And Jane Hamilton’s Laura Rider’s Masterpiece. Another excellent read.
Hmm. The leader of our bookclub is angling for this book to be our September pick, but I am dubious after suffering through all the ones she has suggested thus far this year (Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, A Fraction of the Whole & Edgar Sawtelle).
Please tell me you weren’t impressed by the Potato Peel Pie book, and then I will feel reassured…
The book I want our group to read was written by a friend of mine, Petina Gappah (actually, her son Kush is one of my daughter Tallulah’s fiancés, so she is almost an in-law in our family!), Elegy for Easterly. It has gotten good reviews in places like the Guardian, and for the past 2 months she has been jetting off on book tours and panel discussions with the likes of Michael Ondaatje (my favourite writer, living or dead), Salman Rushdie, Colm Toibin… Even did an interview for Oprah’s magazine.
The other book I’m suggesting is The Book of Ebenezer LePage (supposedly a masterpiece, and to correct the misimpressions created by the Potato Peel Pie book).
Currently reading: Bonfire of the Vanities (bookclub), Green Grass, Running Water and Surfacing.
Sari–Welcome! I will have to check those out, as I’ve read neither one. Come back to give us your reviews of them both, if you can.
Monika–so, so happy to see you visiting here (especially as my personal blog has been so neglected of late!) I haven’t read the Potato Peel Pie book; it strikes me as exactly the sort of book I wouldn’t like. “Hedgehog” didn’t quite live up to its hype for me, mostly because I found the philosophizing and intellectual namedropping a bit forced, but I enjoyed the read nonetheless, thanks to the two main characters. I guess I’d call this one literary fiction, if not great literature. My current read is Elaine Showalter’s survey of American women writers (new; and I’m forgetting the name) but I am off to read about your friend’s book…
I am so pumped — I think my tapas spread (or maybe it was the sangria?) persuaded my book club to pick Petina’s book for September — yay!!
(We also picked Madame de Stael, the First Modern Woman (she lived just down the road!), Out Stealing Horses, A Short History of Women, and The Book of Ebenezer LePage)
I just wanted to let you know that you can listen to Petina here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/audio/2009/jan/26/pettina-gappah-dancing-champion
And here is her notorious Dan Brown chapter:
http://petinagappah.blogspot.com/2009/03/in-which-i-write-opening-chapter-of-dan.html
And one last thing: Salman Rushdie friended HER on Facebook!! How cool is that?!?