This spare, unforgettable novel is Pierre Michonās luminous exploration of the mysteries of desire. A young teacher takes his first job in a sleepy French town. Lost in a succession of rainy days and sleepless nights, he falls under the spell of a town resident, a woman of seductive beauty and singular charm.
Yvonne. Yvonne. āEverything about her screamed desireā¦setting something in motion while settling a fingertip to the counter, turning her head slightly, gold earrings brushing her cheek while she watched you or watched nothing at all; this desire was open, like a wound; and she knew it, wore it with valor, with passion.ā Michon probes the destructive powers of passion and the consuming need for love in this heartbreaking novel.
Pierre MichonĀ is an author of high acclaim in France and Europe. He was winner of the Prix France Culture in 1984 for his first book,Ā Small Lives, and of the 1996 Prix de la Ville de Paris for his body of work. He lives in France.Ā Wyatt Mason, a contributing writer for theĀ New York Times MagazineĀ and a contributing editor atĀ Harper's,Ā has translated writing by Pierre Michon, Eric Chevillard, Michel de Montaigne, and Arthur Rimbaud. He teaches at Bard College.