''Hunting and Gathering'' is a 2004 novel by the French writer

Anna Gavalda Anna Gavalda (born 23 May 1970 in Boulogne-Billancourt, Hauts-de-Seine) is a French teacher and award-winning novelist. Referred to by ''Voici'' magazine as "a distant descendant of Dorothy Parker", Anna Gavalda was born in an upper-class suburb ...

. Its original French title is ''Ensemble, c'est tout'', which means "Being together, period". The narrative follows an anorexic young woman who struggles with the neuroses, both of her own and of people around her. The book was adapted into a 2007 film with the same title, directed by

Claude Berri Claude Berri (; 1 July 1934 – 12 January 2009) was a French film director, writer, producer, actor and distributor. Early life Born Claude Beri Langmann in Paris, Berri was the son of Jewish immigrant parents. His mother, Beila (née Bercu), w ...

Reception

Gerry Feehily reviewed the book for ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'', and saw a parallel between its themes and those in ''

Candide ( , ) is a French satire written by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment, first published in 1759. The novella has been widely translated, with English versions titled ''Candide: or, All for the Best'' (1759); ''Candide: or, The ...

'' by

Voltaire François-Marie Arouet (; 21 November 169430 May 1778) was a French Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment writer, historian, and philosopher. Known by his ''Pen name, nom de plume'' M. de Voltaire (; also ; ), he was famous for his wit, and his ...

: "But Voltaire was pulling our leg. Candide is a starry-eyed idiot whose idealism is dashed to bits by the horrors of absolutist Europe. His resignation is inevitable. With Gavalda, resignation, a longing for stasis, is a virtue. That she has a worldwide audience suggests she has tapped into a mood which many people share."

References

2004 novels French romance novels French novels adapted into films {{2000s-romance-novel-stub

Reception

See also

References