Charlotte Casiraghi: 3 books that made her reflect on love… and the importance of walking
For three years now, Charlotte Casiraghi has been the soul of Rendez-vous littéraires that Chanel organizes in its Parisian headquarters in rue Cambon, making it the scene of meetings and passionate conversations with writers of the caliber of Maria Pourchet and Siri Hustvedt, just to mention the most recent guests. After obtaining the baccalauréat littéraire (equivalent to the classical/linguistic high school diploma) and a degree in philosophy from the Sorbonne, Charlotte has completed internships in the journalism and publishing sectors. In 2015, you founded the association Les Rencontres Philosophiques de Monaco, of which you are president.
Passionate about literature and philosophy, she offers us here a selection of books which, as she explains, have «opened up new perspectives for her through the grace and strength of their characters, or through the intimate testimony of moments of joy, wonder and courage over the course of initiation journeys”.
Charlotte Casiraghi: 3 books to read in 2024
1. Arundhati Roy, The god of small things
«A great classic of Indian literature», is how Charlotte Casiraghi describes it The god of small things by Arundhati Roy. «This novel takes us into the world of childhood, with all its imagination and freedom, but also into the heart of a society governed by a caste system». The author, who lives in New Delhi, studied architecture, and then dedicated herself to cinema as a set designer and screenwriter. The god of small things It is his first novel and has met with critical acclaim for its originality. In 1997 he was awarded the prestigious Booker Prize in Great Britain.
Through the story of two twins whose lives are turned upside down by the “love laws” in force in Kerala, India, in the 1960s, which establish “who should be loved, how and how much”, the novel explores how small life events can affect people’s behavior.
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
2. Rebecca Solnit, History of walking
Another classic, this time of contemporary thought. Born in 1961 into a family where “everything feminine was an object of hatred”, Rebecca Solnit achieved notoriety thanks to the publication, in 2014, of a collection of short essays on feminism entitled Men explain things to me. Reflections on male oppression (published in Italy by Ponte alle Grazie), a work which, translated into over ten languages, popularized the notion of “mansplaining”. Today, Solnit writes for major publications, including the Guardianand is considered one of the most influential contemporary American intellectuals.
In introducing History of walking, Charlotte Casiraghi explains: «This essay talks about walking as an art form and, at the same time, as a political act, and it does so with a lot of intelligence and humor». Published in 2000 in the United States and released for the first time in Italy in 2002, it was the subject of a second edition in our country in 2018. «Walking allows us to inhabit our body and the world without being overwhelmed», writes Solnit. «And it leaves us free to think without getting totally lost in thoughts».
Story of walking by Rebecca Solnit
3. Megan Nolan, Acts of submission
Born in 1990 in Waterford, Megan Nolan is considered the revelation of a new generation of Irish authors, together with Sally Rooney, from whose novels Talk about it among friends (2017) e Ordinary people (2018) were made as many television series, respectively Conversation with Friends And Normal People. Megan Nolan, however, has a less political vocation than her compatriot, despite being equally incisive. In Acts of submission, the novel she debuted in 2021, explores the consequences of a toxic relationship with raw and violent language. “Just because we live tormented stories doesn’t mean we can’t believe in love,” observes Charlotte Casiraghi. «The author, in fact, also questions the possibility of reinventing the love relationship».
Acts of Submission by Megan Nolan
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This article was originally published on Vogue France.
