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The Carousel of Desire
The Carousel of Desire | Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
5 posts | 2 read | 6 to read
From the author of The Most Beautiful Book in the World, a literary tour de force of contemporary eroticism. This message is just to say I love you. Signed: You know who. A love note is delivered anonymously to each inhabitant of Piazza Guy dArezzo in Brussels one morning, triggering a series of adventures and misadventures that, over 600 pages, develop into a sumptuous comedy of manners that is sexy, sensual, affecting, encyclopaedic, and unlike anything written previously by Schmitt. Employing a roving camera technique that recalls both the stylish cinematic tradition of French New Wave and the films by Fellini and Antonioni, The Carousel of Pleasure is a sexual and romantic saga told with a master storytellers feel for character and plot, and a philosophers abiding preoccupation with what makes life truly worthwhile. Schmitt tells a colourful tale about class and community, about the varieties of human experience. His love of coincidence and serendipity is surpassed only by his affection for his all-too-human characters: Zachary Bidermann, the powerful E.U. commissioner; Faustina, the fashionable book publicist; Franois-Maxime de Couvigne, the happily married banker with more than a few secrets; Marcelle, enamoured of a handsome illegal immigrant; and Miss Beauvert, who makes love with her parrot, Copernicus. These and many more unforgettable characters animate this story of simmering desire and mischievous Eros. Praise A narrative tour de force. Liberated, libertine, libertarian. A brilliant celebration of sexual and moral tolerance.La Provence The Carousel of Pleasure is a terrific encyclopedia of love and desire. A beautiful novel, at once light, funny, and sombre. Lexpress Dark comedy or philosophical tale? Both. With colourful, complex, and endearing characters.Le Figaro A hymn of praise to love . . . Religious? No, simply divine.Sud Ouest
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Spiderfelt
The Carousel of Desire | Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
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Panpan

The only way I can salvage anything from this book is to play with a photo of my sweet 🐶 Page. I spent the weekend sniffling and sneezing, which is the only reason I had the time to grind through this monstrous book about the love lives of a neighborhood in Brussels. I found the characters repellent, the author's tone misogynistic and the writing tedious. Also, I resent being forced to read a 662 page tome for my #bookclub.

saresmoore The book sounds like torture, but the photo is fantastic! 8y
RadicalReader @Spiderfelt makes me think and appreciate such wonderful readers who then name their dogs with the wonderful terminology of books 8y
Spiderfelt There was a dog from this breeder's previous litter named 'Kindle' and another named 'Sequel'. Those names inspired me. When my dog was a puppy, my BIL called her Paragraph because she was too little to be a Page. 8y
RadicalReader @Spiderfelt what an awesome story nothing better than calling dogs after your passions 8y
14 likes5 comments
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My_novel_obsession
The Carousel of Desire | Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
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So this was my "blind date" with a book selection from the bookstore. Sounds interesting.....

MaleficentBookDragon I love that, blind date. 8y
Spiderfelt Have you begun reading it? My regular walking buddy picked this for our February bookclub. The first story turned my stomach and I haven't been able to bring myself to crack the cover again. But I feel guilty for not giving it more of a chance because of who picked it. 8y
My_novel_obsession @Spiderfelt I haven't started reading this yet but now I am intrigued! 8y
39 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Gleefulreader
The Carousel of Desire | Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
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For #day14 of #photoadaynov16 - a selection of orange covers, most of which are in my TBR pile. I think the best part of these photo prompts for me, as someone with a larger library, is that it forces me to examine my bookshelf and find books I may have forgotten I bought and pushes them up the TBR list.

Cinfhen And for me all these orange book covers has inspired me to make mac & cheese for dinner 😋 8y
RealLifeReading Lovely photo! And some books I've not heard of before! 8y
RealLifeReading @Cinfhen 😂😂😂 8y
LitHousewife I love Europa Editions!!!! 8y
cathysaid Yay for Europa! 8y
47 likes5 comments
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CherylDeFranceschi
The Carousel of Pleasure | Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
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Book mail! A giant door stopper. I need to cancel all my book mail now that, ummmm, I manage a book store! 😬😳

LeahBergen Great cover! 8y
CherylDeFranceschi @LeahBergen It is a gorgeous cover. And it is what put it on my radar. I was completely unfamiliar with this book. 8y
quirkyreader You got the job! Major super duper whoopie. 🐸🐙 8y
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CherylDeFranceschi @quirkyreader Thank you! I cannot even believe it. My first few weeks have events with Nick Offerman (!!!!), Carson Ellis(!!!), and Amor Toles. This is gonna be the best! 8y
BibliOphelia Congrats! Can you name the store? 8y
CherylDeFranceschi @BibliOphelia It's The Book Stall in Winnetka Illinois. 8y
BethFishReads Love that cover!!!!!!! 8y
BibliOphelia *Filing away for any future visits to Winnetka* Enjoy!! 8y
ValerieAndBooks Congrats! Will you have to move? 8y
kspenmoll Happy for you! 8y
CherylDeFranceschi @ValerieAndBooks No. it's just about 30-40 minutes away, on one of the most beautiful streets! All charming gingerbread buildings and trees. So happy! 8y
CherylDeFranceschi @kspenmoll Thank you so much! 8y
CherylDeFranceschi @BethFishReads It is gorgeous. I have a weakness for Europa editions. 8y
CarolynOliver Congratulations on your job!! 8y
64 likes3 stack adds14 comments
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tolmsted
The Carousel of Pleasure | Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt
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"Anyone coming to the Place d'Arezzo for the first time would experience a sense of strangeness. In spite of the opulent Versailles-style stone and brick houses lining the square, where the shady lawn, the rhododendrons, and the plane trees suggested a Nordic kind of vegetation, there was a hint of the tropics about the place..."

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