The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery

This is a novel that I can only describe as a very ‘French’ mix of the quirky and the philosophical: if you found the film Amélie contrived and pretentious, forget about it; if, like me, you loved it, you’ll enjoy The Elegance of the Hedgehog. The ‘hedgehog’ of the title is Renée Michel, who works as a concierge in an…

John Steinbeck – Of Mice and Men

 Ok, not really new or original, but as I am teaching this book every year – yes, every year – and this year even to two different year groups – I might as well review it. As a novella, it’s great: compact and dense, it manages to paint a touching image of life during the…