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Les Epicuriens: The reviews
We’ll Prescribe a Cat by Syou Ishida
We’ll Prescribe a Cat by Syou Ishida There are books that arrive with an elaborate theory of life, and there are books that make their argument almost imperceptibly. We’ll Prescribe a Cat, by Syou Ishida, belongs to the second category. Its premise sounds like a literary joke — a clinic that prescribes cats instead of medicine — yet Ishida gradually turns this whimsical idea into something considerably more serious: a meditation on loneliness, regret, work, grief and the stra
Baldwin: A Love Story
Baldwin: A Love Story Nicholas Boggs At Les Épicuriens Bookclub, we believe that a great biography should do more than recount a remarkable life. It should change the way we read the work that life produced. Nicholas Boggs’s Baldwin: A Love Story achieves precisely this, offering an intimate and deeply researched portrait of James Baldwin—one of the twentieth century’s most important American writers, whose work transformed conversations about race, identity, sexuality, freed
Les Epicuriens Books
Essay on the Origin of Languages By Jean Jacques Rousseau
Among Rousseau’s more unusual legacies is his inquiry into how human language first arose, a question he explored in the posthumously published Essay on the Origin of Languages. In this dense yet fascinating essay, Rousseau delves into the primitive beginnings of speech and song, proposing that language evolved from early humans’ emotional cries and communal needs rather than from rational calculation. Do you agree with Rousseau’s theory that language has emotional rather tha
Passé confessé by Marie-Eve Meuwly
There is something particularly unsettling about crime novels set in places that appear untouched by time. In Passé confessé, Swiss novelist Marie-Eve Meuwly returns to familiar territory, using the quiet landscape of an isolated Swiss village not merely as a backdrop, but as an active participant in the story. Behind its postcard tranquillity lies a community built on silence, memory and carefully buried truths. Meuwly has long established herself as one of Switzerland's mos
Mukudori By Aki Shimazaki
With Mukudori, acclaimed Japanese-Canadian author Aki Shimazaki once again demonstrates her remarkable ability to transform ordinary lives into quietly profound stories. Elegant, understated, and deeply moving, this novel explores the resilience of love, friendship, and dignity in the face of life's inevitable changes. One especially moving scene captures Matsuko quietly pouring tea for her ailing husband on a rainy morning, the unspoken tenderness between them highlighting t
Les Epicuriens Classic
Les Epicuriens Classics: Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
What makes a novel timeless? Today, Les Epicuriens Books and The Sir Williams Shakespeare’s Room would like to open a new chapter with the launch of Les Epicuriens Classics, a category dedicated to the literary works that have transcended generations and earned their place in our collective imagination. What makes a book a classic? Is it the beauty of its prose, the depth of its characters, or its remarkable ability to speak to readers centuries after it was written? Perhaps
Sensei Sports
Derrière la lumière — Tibo InShape
Derrière la lumière — Tibo InShape When passion becomes a career, what happens behind the spotlight? At Basket, we are always interested in the stories behind sporting success: not simply the trophies, statistics, or headlines, but the discipline, setbacks, ambition, and personal sacrifices that shape an athlete’s journey. Derrière la lumière, the latest book by French YouTuber and fitness personality Tibo InShape, offers precisely that kind of perspective. Presented by the S
HWPO: Hard Work Pays Off — The Discipline Behind Greatness
HWPO: Hard Work Pays Off — The Discipline Behind Greatness By Mat Fraser with Spencer Mestel Some books about sport are really books about sport. Others use sport as a language for something much larger: discipline, failure, ambition, resilience and the daily struggle to become better than we were yesterday. HWPO: Hard Work Pays Off belongs firmly to the second category. Written by Mat Fraser, the five-time CrossFit Games champion and former holder of the title of “Fittest Ma
Vivre de Sport by Bixente Lizarazu
Some sporting memoirs dwell on medals, trophies and moments of glory. Bixente Lizarazu’s Vivre de Sport takes a different route. Rather than revisiting every milestone of his celebrated football career, the former France international offers a thoughtful meditation on movement, curiosity and the lifelong pursuit of physical and mental well-being. For readers outside the French-speaking world, the book is currently available only in French. While there is no official English t
The Time-Crunched Cyclist: Race-Winning Fitness in 6 Hours a Week, by Chris Carmichael and Jim Rutberg / Third Edition
Today, The Sensei Sports BookClub is pleased to feature The Time-Crunched Cyclist by renowned cycling coach Chris Carmichael and co-author Jim Rutberg. Whether you’re an experienced rider chasing personal bests or someone simply trying to stay active despite a demanding schedule, this book offers a practical and refreshing approach to cycling fitness. One of the book’s greatest strengths is that it understands the reality of modern life. Most cyclists don’t have the luxury of
Movement and Mental Health
Today at les Épicuriens, we ask you to reflect on the link between movement and mental health. Think about how physical activity can support your psychological well-being. Ahead of delving into the topic, let's look at a bit of history and the role sport played in ancient Greece. For them, sport was a key part of education, religion, and daily life, forming a strong connection to their endeavour for excellence, not just for the body but also for the mind. (Goodman, 2020) Th
Sports intensity, I suffer therefore I am
At Basket, we believe in the transformative power of sports. Physical activity supports both physical and mental health, builds resilience, and helps prevent illness. However, excessive participation can be harmful and may lead to addiction. This documentary profiles individuals who push their limits and examines the challenges that can accompany extraordinary achievements. https://www.rts.ch/emissions/temps-present/emission/whatson:7631906128812.html
Les Epicuriens History
The Capetians: Kings of France, 987–1328 by Jim Bradbury
Book Review: The Capetians: Kings of France, 987–1328 by Jim Bradbury Few royal dynasties have shaped the destiny of a nation as profoundly as the Capetians. Rising from the uncertain political landscape left by the collapse of the Carolingian dynasty, they transformed a fragmented kingdom into the foundations of what would become the French state. This month, Les Épicuriens History Book Club turns its attention to Jim Bradbury’s The Capetians: Kings of France, 987–1328, a co
Suisse. Histoire et la légende des origines by Guy Mettan
Suisse. Histoire et la légende des origines The story of Switzerland's origins is fascinating because it is both dual and multifaceted. On the one hand, it tells of a humble, painstaking, almost anonymous process of nation-building, shaped by often fragile alliances forged in a challenging environment over more than a century, from the late thirteenth to the late fourteenth century. On the other hand, it gave rise to stories that would become enduring national myths: William
Rasputin: And the Downfall of the Romanovs (Les Epicuriens History)
Rasputin: visionary, fraud or victim of history? THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'THE GOLD STANDARD OF NARRATIVE HISTORY' DAN SNOW 'ONE OF THE GREAT STORIES OF HISTORY, TOLD BY ONE OF OUR GREATEST HISTORIANS' SIMON SEBAG MONTEFIORE 'THIS EXTRAORDINARY STORY HAS NEVER BEEN BETTER TOLD' ANTHONY HOROWITZ 'A STUNNING BANQUET OF A BOOK' ROSE TREMAIN At the Les Epicuriens Books Preview release, a widely acclaimed book is being introduced. This event also marks the beginning of
Les Epicuriens Music
Montreux Jazz Festival 2026 Raye & Guests / Opening evening
At Les Épicuriens Cultures, summer means one thing: festival season. Among the highlights is the Montreux Jazz Festival, one of the world's most prestigious music events. Over the decades, it has welcomed an extraordinary roster of legendary artists, including Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, David Bowie, Prince, Nina Simone, Sir Elton John, and, more recently, Sam Smith. This year, the festival celebrates its 60th anniversary with an exceptional lineup featuring Raye, Eddy de P
KMO, the New Musical Chapter of Pablo Alborán
Pablo Alborán, Spanish singer, songwriter, and actor, returns with KMO, his new studio album. Throughout his career, the artist has won over audiences with hits such as Solamente Tú and Saturno, while also collaborating with performers from different countries. KMO, an acronym for Kilómetro Zero (“Kilometre Zero”), marks a new chapter in the Málaga-born artist’s career. The album opens with Clickbait, a powerful song that reflects on media exposure and the influence of social
Avenoir – Calum Scott / Les Epicuriens Culture
Avenoir – Calum Scott Avenoir is Calum Scott’s third studio album, and it marks a notable departure from his previous work. While Bridges was an album we greatly enjoyed, Avenoir presents a more mature and introspective side of the artist. The album’s title sets the tone perfectly. Avenoir is a coined poetic term meaning “the desire that memory could flow backwards” — a longing to experience life in reverse, allowing memories to approach from the future rather than recede int
Les Epicuriens Culture
All the Truths in My Lies: A Charming Road Trip Through Love, Friendship and Secrets
Les Épicuriens Culture Review — 4/5 Les Épicuriens Culture is pleased to present All the Truths in My Lies, the Spanish Netflix series based on the bestselling novel by Elísabet Benavent. What initially looked like a light romantic comedy turned into a surprisingly entertaining and heartfelt journey through friendship, desire, secrets, and the complicated nature of falling in love. The five-episode series follows a group of longtime friends who embark on a bachelorette road t
Marty Supreme: Ambition, Chaos and the Price of Greatness
There are films that tell a story, and then there are films that throw you into the middle of a character’s madness and refuse to let you look away. Marty Supreme, starring Timothée Chalamet alongside Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’Zion, Fran Drescher and Robert Pattinson, belongs firmly to the second category. Recently watched on DVD, the film tells the story of Marty Mauser, a young and fiercely ambitious American table-tennis champion whose determination appears to know no lim
House of the Dragon Season 3: A Slow Burn That Still Breathes Fire
The wait is over. House of the Dragon has returned for its third season on HBO Max, bringing audiences back into the blood-soaked struggle for the Iron Throne. With Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen now firmly claiming her place on the throne after overcoming betrayal and prejudice, the battle for Westeros enters an even more perilous chapter. Yet power in George R.R. Martin's world is never secure. As House Hightower manoeuvres to reclaim influence and Daemon Targaryen's unpredictabl
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