Summer reading pick: The Elegance of the Hedgehog

I'm breaking ranks in honor of summer, as reading business books all the time can be limiting even for devout entrepreneurs. This is why I'm reviewing a piece of fiction: Even 24/7/365 business types need to step outside of their bubble once in a while in order to stay fresh, relevant and innovative. I'm also doing this because The Elegance of the Hedgehog was, hands down, the absolute best piece of fiction I have accidentally stumbled upon since The Time Traveler's Wife. Admittedly, some of the appreciation might have been encouraged by the fact that I read half of the book while sitting on the Promenade des Anglaise in Nice, waiting to pick up someone at the airport.

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery was one of France's best sellers and the winner of at least four major French book awards. So, no, it has not been endorsed by Oprah and, as such, will likely remain on the "critics and employees" recommended picks section. Nor does it have the annoying "Book club questions" at the back of the book. However, if you are looking for something weightier than chick lit, Harry Potter or the Twilight series, and something more akin to what you would read in a college literature course, you might want to check this out.

The plot involves a French concierge of the lower class who hides her intelligence from the well-to-do residents at No. 7, rue de Grenelle, Paris. As such, it is like a French film where it's more about settings and dialogue than action. What makes the novel soar is the sublime descriptions of human nature both from the concierge and a young intellectual girl who resides in the building as well as the new Japanese resident who brings them all together. Hmmm.  Now that I write that, I realize that there are some similarities to books by my favorite, Jane Austen.

Click here to continue reading this review on my entrepreneur blog ... I know, it has nothing to do with entrepreneurs, but since that's my book review blog ... I decided to take a break from the biz books.

Diane K. Danielson
ceo, Downtown Women's Club

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