A beautiful homage to the art of reading - light and funny. A celebration of the union of sensuality and language. Marie-Constance loves reading and possesses an attractive voice. So, one day she decides to put an ad in the local paper offering her services as a paid reader. Her first client, a paralysed teenager, is transformed by her reading of a Maupassant short story. Marie-Constance's fame spreads and soon the rich, the creative and the famous clamour for her services. ------ Why Peirene chose to publish this book: 'The premise of the story is brilliant: a woman who loves reading aloud acquires - without realizing - power over others. What's true for her clients becomes real for you, the reader of this book. As you turn the pages, think of Marie-Constance as the personification of reading itself. And I promise you an experience you will never forget.' Meike Ziervogel, Publisher
Raymond Jean (1925-2012) wrote more than 40 books during his lifetime - novels, short-story collections and essays. He was awarded the Prix Goncourt de la nouvelle in 1983. His novella La Lectrice (Reader for Hire) became a cinema hit starring Miou-Miou. The film won the Cesar Award for Best Supporting Actor and was named the best feature at the 1988 Montreal World Film Festival.
Title: Reader for Hire (Chance Encounter 17)
Author: Jean, Raymond
ISBN: 9781908670229
Binding:
Publisher: Peirene Press Ltd
Publication Date: 2015-06-15
Number of Pages: 174
Weight: 0.5036 kg
'A clever, funny, and humane work that champions the power of literature.' David Mills, SUNDAY TIMES ------ 'An entertaining, sensuous and, above all, fun outing into the converging worlds of reading, language and sexuality.' Pam Norfolk, LANCASHIRE EVENING POST ------ 'Reader for Hire might be the perfect book - written with an elegance whose validity it also questions.' Joanna Walsh, NATIONAL ------ 'An excellent new translation of a novel ... written with a lightness of touch.' Harry Ritchie, DAILY MAIL