Books Now and Then Book Discussion Group

All are welcome! Join us to discuss our November title, The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery.
Register here.

Renée, the middle-aged and essentially invisible concierge at an elegant Paris hotel, secretly devours art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture. With biting humor, she scrutinizes the lives of her wealthy but culturally inferior tenants. Twelve-yea-old Paloma, who lives in the building, decides to commit suicide on her thirteenth birthday. She hides her extraordinary intelligence behind the mask of an average pre-teen. Paloma and Renée believe the world will not appreciate their finest qualities, but after a wealthy Japanese man arrives in the building, they begin to recognize each other as kindred souls. This novel exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us, and celebrates the rich lives often hidden beneath conventional exteriors.