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From the author of the New York Times bestseller, The Elegance of the Hedgehog. In the heart of Paris, in the posh building made famous in The Elegance of the Hedgehog, Pierre Athens, the greatest food critic in the world, is dying. Revered by some and reviled by many, Monsieur Arthens has been lording it over the worlds most esteemed chefs for years, passing judgment on their creations, deciding their fates with a stroke of his pen, destroying and building reputations on a whim. But now, during these his final hours, his mind has turned to simpler things. He is desperately searching for that singular flavor, that sublime something once sampled, never forgotten, the Flavor par excellence. Indeed, this flamboyant and self-absorbed man desires only one thing before he dies: one last taste. Thus begins a charming voyage that traces the career of Monsieur Arthens from childhood to maturity across a celebration of all manner of culinary delights. Alternating with the voice of the supercilious Arthens is a chorus belonging to his acquaintances and familiarsrelatives, lovers, a would-be protg, even a cat. Each will have his or her say about M. Arthens, a man who has inspired only extreme emotions in people. Here, as in The Elegance of Hedgehog, Muriel Barberys story celebrates lifes simple pleasures and sublime moments while condemning the arrogance and vulgarity of power.



About the Author

Muriel Barbery

Muriel Barbery (born 28 May 1969) is a French novelist and professor of philosophy.Bio from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Photo by Elena Torre from Viareggio, Italia (Muriel Barbery) [CC BY-SA 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0) ], via Wikimedia Commons.



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