A story of liberation and a heartrending portrayal of a woman's sense of self, Ketty Rouf's extraordinary debut shatters tired prejudices about sex, women, and society.
Josephine teaches philosophy in a high school in Drancy, a suburb of Paris. Her life is a balancing act between Xanax, Propranolol and Tupperware lunches in the staff room. The directives of the National Education Board are increasingly absurd and intolerable and she follows them with playfulness at times and derision at others.
When, one evening, Josephine walks into a strip club on the Champs-Elysée, her life is completely overturned. There she learns a secret nocturnal code of conduct; she discovers camaraderie and the joys of female company; and she thrills at the sensation of men's desire directed toward her. Josephine, a teacher by day, begins to lead a secret existence by night that ultimately allows her to regain control of her life. This delicate balance is shattered one evening by an unexpected visitor to the club where she dances.
Publisher: Europa Editions
Original Binding: Trade Paperback
Pages: 172 pages
ISBN-10: 1609456912
Item Weight: 0.72 lbs
Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.82 x 8.3 inches
"Brimming with eroticism, Rouf's novel is a pitch-perfect rejection of the bland existence of educators in a broken system, and liberated her heroine to explore a more brilliant, colorful life, although not without its consequences."--Booklist
"The direct and infectious prose convincingly delves into Joséphine's inner life as she seeks self-reliance on her own terms. It's a rich character study."--Publishers Weekly
"Exhilarating and unsettling."--Le Figaro
"A debut novel that skillfully dissects the relationship between the body and freedom."--Franceinfo
"Stunning and surprising, No Touching invites readers to question their own choices and prejudices."--ActuaLitté
"Both playful and profound."--Le Journal du Dimanche
Ketty Rouf has a master's degree in philosophy, is a passionate ballet dancer, and after years working for the French National Education Board is now a full-time translator, interpreter, and writer. No Touching is her debut novel.
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