The man who loved flowers.

The man who loved flowers is a short story, written by the well-known American writer, Stephen King. He published it first in the August 1977 issue of Gallery and then in King's collection of short stories: Night Shift, published in 1978.

The short story begins in New York City, on an early evening in May 1963. The main character is an unnamed man who is walking on Manhattan's 3rd Avenue, he is beautiful ! In an old lady's view, he seems to be in love. The handsome young man stops at a flower shop. The vendor is listening a new report on the radio: a woman's body has been found in the local river. The unnamed man wants to buy flowers for his fiancée, Norma. Later, he leaves the vendor who gives him a piece of advice for his relationship with Norma and continues up the street. Then, he turns into a dark alleyway, and sees a young woman . He calls her "Norma" but she doesn't answer. So, he decides to offer her the flowers. She thanks him for the flowers, but tells him that she isn't Norma and it might be a mistake. The young man, in a moment of madness, kills the young woman with a hammer that he was carrying in his pocket, and resumes his walk, calm and as beautiful as ever. We understand that the real Norma died ten years before. The young man has killed many "fake Normas", including the woman in the local river.

Stephen King is a kind of genius because with this very short story and this surprising ending, he can show us the madness of the main character which the reader didn't really anticipate. The young man is actually a psychopath, a demon within an angel. Personally, my favorite passage begins when the young woman tells the handsome man that it might be a mistake. We understand that something is weird, and unfortunately the story becomes a tragedy. Nevertheless, I recommend this short story, it is very easy to read and surprising!

Listen to "The Man Who Loved Flowers", by Stephen King.

In order to get ready for tomorrow's reading of your favourite parts of the short story The Man Who Loved Flowers, by Stephen King, listen to this reading of it and practice!

Hi everyone.

I am on sick leave until the holidays. I will see you again in November. Remember to bring the book you chose to read.

I will post the videos of your performances soon.

Desert Island Book by Alice

Alice lives near Paris in a town called Gentilly, she has been interested in books since she was a child, she often read in her grand faher's library, and all her family reads a lot.

Her favorite books are especially the classic books, those which we read at school. For example she likes Sartre and Stendhal very much.

She chose this book: "Rebecca" by Daphné du Maurier, a British writter, because it's an old book she loves and she began to read it very early, without understanding really, without getting all the atmosphere of the work.

She read it again afterwards and appreciated it a lot. She says that if we stay in this optic: If we begin to read this book, we can't stop anymore.

"The Fidelity Files" by Meryl

Today we welcome Elizabeth. She's born the August the 31th 1995. She lives in Arceuil. She likes reading romantic books (that kind of book suit with her personality) but she can also enjoy reading a horror book .

Her favorite book is "The Fidelity Files" by Jessica Brody, it's the story of a woman who had to plays to roles because of her job. The fact is: Is she going to find one day love? Suspense......

Elizabeth appreciates this book because she found it really close to the reality. She appreciates reading and can read many books in a year! Well, not as me!

"The Desert Island Book" by Victoire

Today, the interviwee of our famous radio "Desert Island Book" is Victoire.
She is a sixteen-year-old girl and she is a student in IND High-School.
She lives in BLR, and likes drawing, playing the piano, and listening the music.

Her sister, Marie, enjoys reading very much, and she tells her the stories of the books she liked.
Victoire prefers classic books by authors like Zola or Maupassant. But she doesn't really like fantasy book (except Harry Potter...).
She has chosen "Au bonheur des dames" by Zola, as her favourite book. In fact, she is interested by the 19th century and she found the story and characters particullary attractive.
She doesn't often read, but she likes analysing texts when she enjoyed the book.

The Desert Island Book by Julien

Today in our show we received a very prestigious guest : Antoine Pacquier.

Antoine was born in Paris on June 26th 1995. He lives in Bagneux with his father, mother and brother. His brother is 13 years old.

Antoine traveled a lot, he has gone to Greece and Germany (last year with his highschool), to the Canaries and Spain.

Antoine, in the future, would like to be a hobo or a chief executive.

To go to the lost island, Antoine has chosen to take L'étranger of Albert Camus.

This book tells the story of a man who killed some people; he's in prison and thinks about his life.

Antoine likes a phrase about this book "a man can't live just one day".

He read this book the first week of Summer's holiday, in 3 days.

We thank Antoine for this very informative interview and wish him good luck. Thank you for your attention and see you soon. It was Julien Sanchez in Desert Island Book.

Presentation of Hair Today, No Her Tomorrow

"Hair Today, No Her Tomorrow is a poem" written in 1988 by Brian Patten, a Liverpool Poet.
The text is from the book Storm Damage, it's about love, cheating and unfaithfulness.
His work is composed of four stanzas, lines are short and there are many repetitions such as " I said [...] she said" at the end of lines.
The poem shows a couple who is quarelling about... a hair !
In fact, the woman found a black hair on their bed. She thought her husband was cheating on her and she told him she also cheated on him, although it was false.
He replied, it was cat's hair and asked her to go even if she admitted not to have deceived him.
... Because he really did and the cat was white !

I've appreciated a lot this poem, it's humorous and nice !
Brian Patten writes about a couple's life and he isn't growing more attractive by saying they're in love.
The punch line unexpected and original !
It's realistic and it can happen to anyone and it's true, and it shows you how stupid we are in these cases.

Marie-Sandra COUDERT.

Desert Island Books

Interview of Marie Billet : she was born next to Paris, she lives in Massy. She would likes to be a journalist, she want to succeed in her studies to succeed in life. She's serious student, likes to go with her friends. She has been to Corsica, "it's a very beautiful island " she said. She likes reading because if she doesn't like it, she wouldn't have chosen the literature section.

If she was alone on a desert island, she would put, in her bag, La Belle du Seigneur. It's romantic realistic book by Albert Cohen, the story takes place after the World War II. It's about a woman who is maried with a man who works with the UNO and the husband's boss falls in love with her and she leave her house and goes out with him but her love disappeares but thez must stay together and, to finish, to kill themselves.

Marie read just for the pleasure and when she read it, she had a lot of emotion because it remenber of past.

On the Road... On a Desert Island ?

Yesterday, on Radio 4, we hosted Sophie, 15, from Paris.
In life, she likes hanging out with friends, going to the cinema and listening to music.
She also plays the guitar.
The interviewer asked what kind of book she likes.
She said she has no favourite genre but does like classics, just as "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac, an American author from Massachusetts.
The main carachter is Dean, our guest found him interesting aswell as his conception of life ;
Carpe Diem
During the story he meets people but travels alone no matter what.
That's why she would take it with her on a desert island. She would think like him.

Marie-Sandra COUDERT.

Desert Island Books by Emmanuelle

Today, the interviwee of the radio called "Desert Island Books" is Meryl Jocktan. Let me introduce herself. She is a student of Notre Dame. She is seventeen years old. She had a good childhood because she travelled a lot and met a lot of people. She thinks that it was very fun. Her first book is babar. She would like to travel in Asia especially in Japan. She doesn't like reading a lot, she read four books this year.

Her favourite book ever is Intenebris. She read this book during her holidays. It's an horror book with suspence and blood. When she reads it, she is transported in an another world. It's a book whose the hero is a policeman who seek the serial killer who killed all his family. She really likes it, and she recommends it.

Desert Island Book by Marie

Today, the guest was Audrey Chauveau. She is a student in IND at Bourg-la-Reine, she lives in this town and is a very nice girl, aged sixteen.

First of all, she laks to us that she has travelled a lot, to Italia, Egypt, England, Wales, Belgium... and she particulary likes Egypt. She is a very dynamic girl, practices gymnastic ans plays the guitar. She likes visiting Paris with friends, going to museums, theaters..

If she must be alone on a desert island, she'll choose GONE by Michaël Grant. The story is about a town where there are no adults, the teenagers must survive alone. If she became a writer, she'll write realistic or romantic books. She likes read book because the story transport her into other world and make her fell strong emotions.

It was a very interesting interview during wich we learnt amusing things.

Desert Island Books, by Laura

Her name is Mathilde and she doesn't have a favourite book, but she likes The Old Man in the Sea by Ernest Hemingway. It's the first "serious" novel that she read. She doesn't think she would take it to a Desert Island because she prefers saving her life and so she would take Robinson Crusoe to know how to survive. The book she ashamed to like is The Little Prince by Saint Exupéry. If she was a writer, she would like to write Mer Anarchy, but she woulden't write Figaro's Wedding. If she were a character in a book, she would be Benjamin Malaussène in the novel by Daniel Pennac, but she woulden't be Pauline in Pauline. Finaly, she recommends The Picture of Dorian's Gray.

DESERT ISLAND BOOKS, by Mathilde.

Desert Island Books is the famous radio programme in which a person is questionned on her tastes in literature by a journalist. One of our journalists interviewed Mathilde, to know her tastes and favorites books.

First, the journalist began to ask what was the first book which she has ever read, and she gave the name of the novel The old man and the sea, by the famous writer Ernest Hemingway. She likes this novel because she agrees with author's thought, what he wanted to communicate and share with his reader. In her view, her tastes, in literature, are growing with time because now, she is interrested in a lot of different novels (classics, drama, …): " I stopped reading Oui-Oui & Co". When the journalist asked her, which writer she would like to meet, she answered Daniel Pennac, because she likes him so much ! To her, if she had to a desert island, she would decide to take the novel Rubinson Crusoe, because thanks to it, she would survive with nature on this desert island.

Finally, to conclude, she prefers classics novels and detective stories. One thing is sure: she loves literature !

Desert Island Books, by Audrey

After a very interesting interview between a presenter, Marie, of the famous programme : Desert Island Books, and the guest, Noemie Klaine, I took notes to keep track of this interview.

The subject of the programme is to ask a young high school student, which one of her favourite book she would take if she found herself on a Desert Island.

First, a brief presentation of Noemie Klaine : she's 16 years old, lives in a flat in the Paris Region; she goes to school in the Institute Notre Dame where she chose a literary section to become a primary school teacher.
Later she wishes to be married and have 4 children (twins). She would also travel to many countries such as Australia to see kangaroos, or New York.

If she won one million Euros she would stop working and buy a big house in Monaco.

Her favourite book she carries with her is "La Petite Fadette" by Georges Sand. It's a romantic story of an impossible love.
She first saw the film and it gave her the urge to read it.

Thanks to Noemie Klaine for taking part in the interview.

Desert Island Books, by Camille

Monday 19th September, I had the privilege to witness the famous programme : Desert Island Books.

And that day, the journalist, Antoine, interviewed Julien :

First, he talked about himself.

Julien was born in Thiais the 20th May 1995. He is not married and he hasn't got children. For the moment, he just has a girlfriend, called Aurélie. He said that he lives in l'Haÿ-les-Roses. He has travelled to Germany with his class ; he has visited Spain, Venice, Corsica.

Next, Antoine asked Julien the long-awaited question : "Which of your favourite books would you take to a desert island?" And Julien answered that if he had to take one book to a desert island, it would be Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea, by Jules Verne, because it was a present from his grand-father.

This book is about three men who go over-board of their boat. They fall on a big submarine, the Nautilus, commanded by Captain Nemo. And they embark for new adventures out at sea.

No Hair Today, No Her Tomorrow by Brian Patten

Here is the video of the poet reading his own poem at the Vienna Lit Festival in 2008.

Desert Island Book by Elisabeth

I interviewe Emmanuelle Chrétien, a young student from Notre-Dame, in Bourg-La-Reine, for the Desert Island Discs (a well-known Radio).

She was born on July 11th 1995 in Paris. She is a sixteen-year-old girl who likes hanging out with her friends during her pastime.

She loves classics and romantics books, it's why she chooses " I want to live " by Downhown. In this book, the heroine is a girl attained by a fatal (deadly) illness, a leukemia. She has little time to live, then she decides to etablish a list of all things which she would like to make before dying, so she is going to live her last days intensely and accomplish her dreams.

She likes it because it is very touching. She very recommands it.

Desert Island Books by Camille

Welcome to the "Desert Island Book" radio program

Today I will present a summary of the interview between journalist Julien and our guest Camille.

Initially, the journalist asked Camille a few questions about herself.

Her name is Camille, she was born on June 14th 1995, she's sexteen and she lives in Bourg la reine. She told Julien that she likes reading occasionally, watching TV, ans going out with her friends. She also sayd : "I don't know what I don't like".
She has juste a little brother
Camille has traveled a lot, she already has been to London, Barcelona, Copenhagen and Roma.
She has chosen "L" because she would like to be in Info-graphist and because she didn't like Mathematics.

Next, the journalist asked Camille about her favourite book ever.

Camille has chosen "The Ants" By Bernar Weber. She likes a passage about the theory on divinity.
She said : " We are to ants what god is to us".
She could go to a Desert Island with this book only, because it's like a her Bible ...

Desert Island Books by Rim

Desert Island Books is a famous radio program in which a person is asked about his taste in literature, the books he/she likes, but most important which one would he/she take to a desert island.

Our first guest is Rim, a high school student of sixteen and a half, living in Bagneux (near Paris) and fond of books and cinema. She accepted to answer a few questions about her likes and dislikes in literature and of course the main one: "What book would you take on a desert Island".

The first question, a classic one, was "What is you favourite book ever?", which she answered without any doubts "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen, a romantic story but also a critic of the society from that century and women's condition. Then she enumerated her favourite writers: Jane Austen, The Brontë Sisters, Elizabeth Gaskell, Oscar Wilde, Leon Tolstoï and Charles Dickens. The journalist also asked her about the kind of stories that she usually read: " Most of the time realistic and romantic stories, but I also like a little bit of fantasy, like Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings". Her favourite place to read is her room, because it's calm and she feels like she can really get involved in the storyline. Finally she explained that she would take "Pride and Prejudice" to a Desert Island, because she loves the characters and even if they are from a completely different time she can totally relate to them and it's also a story she knows she's never gonna be tired of.

Desert Island Books by Sophie

Maël Permal is from Fontenay-aux-Roses, close to Paris. She likes hanging out with her friends in Paris and is keen on cinema. If she had to choose between all the books she read, she would take The Stranger by Albert Camus away on a desert island.
The Stranger is the story of an unknown character who goes to jail after killing a man. Maël read it during the summer holidays and loved it. What really caught her attention was the character's conception of life : "It is so special. He's a lonely guy : to his mind, being alone allows us to think about humanity." This vision of loneliness is adapted to the context of a desert island. Besides, Maël really identified with the main character. After reading it, she talked about it with her friends who were also thrilled by Camus' book. "I would recommend it to anyone. It is a fabulous experience" she said. Unfortunately, Maël hasn't read other books by Camus : "But I'd love to read The Plague, Caligula and Sisyphe's Myth."
As the interview ended, we asked Maël for a last word : "As Schopenhauer would say : "The one who does not like being alone does not like freedom either, because we are only free when we are alone"."

Desert Island Books by Maël

Marie Sandra, a young student was interviewed by Sophie for the show "Desert Island Books". She is sixteen years old, she's from Cachan, a suburb next to Paris. She likes going to the cinema, reading, playing the piano and she used to play the guitar and the harp.
The first book that she read was Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. She reads romantic books because for her everything can be possible with that kind of books. You can dream or escape from reality.
If she had to go to a desert island she would take the Half-Brother by Laars Saabye Christensen, a Norwegian writer. She discovered it at a book exhibition called "Le Salon du Livre". She saw the cover, read the back cover and loved the topic.
The book is about two half-brothers. The older one is not really a good example for the little onebecause he's doing a lot of bad things. The little brother is really sad and worried because of that. The book is realistic, they don't show that they love each other but it's beautiful. You can also find yourself in the characters.
Of course Marie Sandra recommands it to everybody because it's easy to read and it is a moving story.

" Desert Island Books" by Cécile

Cécile, a student was interviewed in the programme " Desert Island Books". She likes dancing, cats, Art, going out with friends and reading books.

She think her parents and her grandparents encourage her to be interested in books, in accordance with her age. Her preferences are Romantism, Symbolism and the absurde.

She chose "Les Fleurs du Mal" de Charles Baudelaire because, if she must go to a desert island with one book only, she would read the poems again and again. In one world the book is for her enchantment, bewitching. She said the book is : "the beautiful rest of the genius Baudelaire, of his boheme life, with loves and angers". She said she she finds in the poems a wonderful poetry, a emotion, and she loves it.

Manhattan / Rhapsody in Blue

Here is the opening scene of Manhattan by Woody Allen, that we watched in class. Enjoy!
Now listen to Rhapsody in Blue, written by George Gershwin in 1924. It is one of the most popular American pieces of concert music. 

Victorian culture at the Musée d'Orsay

The Musée d'Orsay is holding a series of events on Victorian Britain. Don't miss the promising exhibition on the Aesthetic Movement: Beauté, morale et volupté dans l'angleterre d'Oscar Wilde
Works by famous Victorian artists such as Edward Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti or Aubrey Beardsley will be on show.

 The Golden Stairs, Edward Burne-Jones, 1880

From September 13th to January 15th.

Literary events in Parisian bookshops

Remember to check out regularly the websites of two Parisian bookshops selling books in English.
 Shakespeare and Company
WH Smith
They regularly hold events like public readings and public interviews of authors promoting their latest work.
Unfortunately, such events are usually scheduled on week days, which may be a bit of a problem for hard-working students like you!

Women in Pop Art

At the Taglialatella Gallery (Paris 3), discover the exhibition Women in Pop Art which seems quite interesting. It deals with the way women are represented in the works of renowned Pop Art artists like Andy Warhol and Tom Wesselmann.

 Bedroom Face with Lichtenstein by Tom Wesselmann, 1994.

Until October 18th, Taglialatella Gallery, 10, rue de Picardie (Paris 3)

So London!

The department store "Le Bon Marché" in Paris is hosting an exhibition on British fashion and pop culture: So London! Don't miss the photographs of Martin Parr, and the exhibition dedicated to the Pop icon Bryan Ferry.

Until October 15th at the Bon marché, 24, rue de Sèvres (Paris 7)

Welcome!

Welcome to the Reading Circle, our class blog.

1. Here, you will give your opinion on texts you read in class and/or outside school.
2. You will share information on authors studied in class.
3. You will also be able to display the tasks carried out in class.
4. Finally, this class blog will enable you to find or share information on cultural events related to the English-speaking world in Paris and around.