One way to read this book, a dialogue between two famous French authors, is as a comic novel, a brilliant satire on the vanity of writers. Michel Houellebecq, who won last year\u2019s Prix Goncourt, France\u2019s highest literary award, for his latest novel, \u201cLa Carte et le Territoire,\u201d\u009d is well known for his provocative black humor. Bernard-Henri L\u00c3\u00a9vy (also known as BHL), though less noted for his wit, likes to play up to his reputation as a comic figure, popping up here, there and everywhere in his fine white shirts, opened halfway down his chest, holding forth on everything from Jean-Paul Sartre to jihad in Pakistan, and generally acting out the role, in a somewhat theatrical fashion, of the great Parisian Intellectual….<\/p>\n
The two writers exchange views on many topics, like the matter of being Jewish \u201d\u201d often, but not really here, a rich source of comedy. BHL is Jewish, and voices his \u201cunconditional support for Israel.\u201d\u009d Houellebecq, who is not, declares that he was always \u201con the side of the Jews.\u201d\u009d It is indeed \u201ca real joy, to see Israel fighting these days.\u201d\u009d So no disagreements there.<\/p>\n
On religion, BHL explains his \u201cJudeo-Christian\u201d\u009d hypothesis of \u201ca soul made in the image of God.\u201d\u009d To which Houellebecq replies that since BHL obviously believes in God, he, Houellebecq, \u201cwill probably look at you a little strangely\u201d\u009d the next time they meet. To which BHL counters that he does not really believe in God at all, but there is a \u201clevel,\u201d\u009d somewhere, \u201cthat goes beyond (or is perhaps more basic than) the question of whether or not we\u2019re living in the \u201d\u02dctruth.\u2019\u201d\u009d<\/p>\n