The book
Here is a new work of fiction by the always surprising Nothomb that subverts any attempts at categorization; a smart, singular, surreal novel about personality and philosophy, trauma and healing, solitude and human connection from one of Europe's most talked about and beloved authors. One morning, the heroine of this book, a well-known author named Amélie Nothomb, receives a letter from one of her readers--an American soldier stationed in Iraq by the name of Melvin Mapple. Horrified by the endless violence around him, Melvin takes comfort in over-eating. He eats and eats until his fat starts to suffocate him and he can barely fit into his XXXXL clothes. Disgusted with himself, but unable to control his eating, he takes his mind off his ever-growing bulk by naming it Scheherazade and pretending that his own flesh will keep an increasingly intolerable loneliness at bay. Repulsed but also fascinated, Nothomb begins an exchange with Mapple. She finds herself opening up to him about her difficulties with being in the public spotlight and the challenges of her work. An epistolary friendship of sorts develops, one that delves into universal questions about human relationships, one with an unexpected (to say the least!) final twist.
The author
Amélie Nothomb
Amélie Nothomb was born in Japan to Belgian parents in 1967. She lives in Paris. Her books have been translated into twenty-five languages and counting, and been awarded numerous prizes including the French Academy’s Grand Prix for the Novel, the René-Fallet, Alain-Fournier, and Jean-Giono prizes.
Press
- Nov 25 2014
Nominated for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award 2015 - Feb 19 2014
Three Percent: "A refreshing, funny, and clever counterpoint to some of this season’s sterner submissions—despite its own dark subject matter." - May 15 2013
World Literature Today: "Nothomb skillfully constructs an absorbing maze of psychological entanglement and escape." - Mar 28 2013
Los Angeles Times: "Nothomb's prose has a hard-edged clarity and a slyness to it." - Mar 15 2013
Words Without Borders: "Astonishing in its wit and grace." - Feb 20 2013
The Boston Bibliophile: "Complicated and nuanced."