The Woman with the Bouquet

By Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt

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.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Group
• Release date: Aug 31, 2010
• ISBN: 9781609459901

Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt

Eric Emmanuel Schmitt's bestselling novels and plays have been translated into more than twenty languages and produced in thirty-five countries. Oscar and the Lady in Pink was published by Atlantic Books in 2005 and the stage adaptation, starring Rosemary Harris, ran in the West End and was directed by Associate RSC director John Caird (Les Misérables).

Reviews for The Woman with the Bouquet

[valerieandbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

There are just five short stories in this collection, but none felt too dragged-out long. Each had an element of surprise at the end (but not in a terribly shocking way). I read this collection a few months ago, and (with some thought), I can still recall the basic premise of each story. That's saying a lot. Incidentally, this is translated from the French to English. I liked this so well that I ordered, almost immediately, another short story collection by him The Most Beautiful Book in the World which I still need to read.

[bookomaniac-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Verhalenbundel, waarvan ik de eerste twee las. De rêveuse lijkt een doorslag van een stationsromannetje, maar Schmitt weet toch te boeien als een bevraging van het belang van fantasie voor de artiest (en voor het leven). Crime parfait is verhaaltechnisch veel sterker. SChmitt schrijft een soepel proza dat naar het klassieke neigt, maar toch eenvoudig blijft.

[cecilturtle · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Schmitt a un style simple, légèrement académique, qui fait qu'il est bon mais pas excellent écrivain. Par contre, la sincérité et la simplicité des sentiments qu'il décrit font de lui un excellent conteur. Cette série de cinq nouvelles, deux mystères et trois romances, sont prenantes et tour à tour émouvantes et gracieuses.