A few years ago Sarah Weinman thought she was going to have a career in science, possibly of the forensic variety. But then she launched the crime and mystery fiction blog Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind as a way of procrastinating on her master’s thesis, and it literally changed her life’s path.
We can respect that.
We also respect her opinions on books across all genres, so much so that we’ve asked Weinman to recommend a new one for you to check out each Wednesday. (It’s amazing that she finds the time. The woman read 462 books last year.)
Learn more about her latest pick after the jump, and let us know in the comments area what you thought if you’ve already read it.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery
Barbery’s runaway international smash embodies the prickly, seemingly impossible-to-love exterior of the titular hedgehog, requiring the reader to get past the spikes and ungainly appearance for the wondrous truths that lie beneath. Both Renee and Paloma, starkly varied in years and life experience but soul-similar, hide their lights under a bushel because the world expects them to. But bushels are meant to be toppled and it is an absolute delight to see their true selves revealed, transcending even tragedy and joy.
– Sarah Weinman