A Mother's Love

This was a pre-newscast item on NPR this morning: "Ten years ago, the French novelist Michel Houellebecq published a book called Atomised. He portrayed his mother as an egocentric hippie who neglected her kids. Now, at age 83, his mother has published her own book. She writes that if her son uses her name again, she'll knock out his teeth with her walking stick."

So I did a little digging, and I found out about Hoellebecq mere's book, courtesy of this article in the Times of London. In her memoir "L'Innocente (available only in French), Houellebecq's mother Lucie Ceccaldi says of him: "This individual, who alas! came out of my tummy, is a liar, an impostor, a parasite and especially, especially, a little upstart ready to do anything for fortune and fame."

Remember, Mother's Day is May 11.--David E