Fifth collection of short stories by the prolific Bernard Lévy, A piano in the arena is a compendium of love stories where women are always at the origin of taking the initiative. Tasty and pleasant.
We never tire of the style of Bernard Lévy, this scientific journalist, art critic then director of the journal arts life, who spends his retirement developing literary intrigues! We had been charmed by his previous works, in particular Panting. It is with pleasure that we find his flexible and spontaneous writing and his stories taken from everyday life.
In the first short story, which gives the book its title, a man is shouted at by a great pianist who loves bullfighting! Truculent. The story was a finalist for the Hemingway International Literary Prize this year. In the second, the Parisian capital sets the scene for a demonstration that turns into a stampede. A man helps a famous actress, caught off guard. ” What are you planning to do ? », ends up asking the woman, very direct. The rest is just banter and a surprising ending…
A woman meets a public entertainer in a restaurant and falls under his poetic spell. A man approaches a woman sitting on a bench, and tells her he is a criminal on the run! A woman flirts with a man in a café, in such a way that the man thinks she is a prostitute. But it is! The ambiguous dialogue is delightful. All the short stories are captivating and ultimately leave us in a good mood. A good “feel good” book!
A piano in the arena
Bernard Levy
Canvas words
178 pages