Pierre Assouline, Les Invites / Our readings (3rd year)

Pierre Assouline, Les Invites

Book 50th

A suggestion of Dina Papadopoulou

Extracts of book reviews,
translated by

Violetta Papadopoulou

Dina Pappadopoulou

This book reminds me of Luis Bunuel's film "Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie", whish is also mentioned at some point in the book. I was fascinated by this novel and more specifically by his elegant writing as well as most of his views. There is though one thing I don't agree with, which is his point of view on female genital mutilation. Not only is not clear but he also bypasses it, comparing it with male circumcision and this is unfair and inaccurate.

Christiana Vellou

His writing very distinctive, stylistic, ironic, sharply critical, gives us the contradictions between social an individual life in our days. The translation also excellent, gives us all the "shades" of such a special writing, as well as the notes at the end of book help a lot the Greek readers to deeply familiarize themselves with the peculiarities of the French culture».

Nikos Matenidis

«Like an iceberg a big part of ourselves is hidden under the surface projecting only our social character. It is Pierre Assouline, in his book "Les invites", who presents the one under the waves. They say that it is when after the first pages of a book you start looking for other books by the same author, that you realise this author has you already under his spell.

Christina Voumvouraki

I confess that I couldn't connect with what happened or the words that fairly described in the book prove to me rather a little more "French" than I can bear. In addition - to use my "unknown French"- I found the story "cliche" and the characters imitative. Overall impression is quite indifferent to me, although text is elaborated in details.

Pantelis Trakidis

If you ignore the part of the guest's presentation which is a bit dull, in the rest of the book the author finds a way to keep us interested, although we have seen and read several times the "Cinderella story". The writing that Assoulin used is incredibly narrative, descriptive with caustic humor, reminds more webcam that focuses on guests' faces than text.