Villa Des Roses

The gilt-lettered advertisement outside Madame Brulot's pension in the shabby rue d'Armaille promises a "first-class family boardinghouse." But only one thing is certain about this so-called reputable Parisian pension—few guests emerge from their stay unscathed. First published in 1913, this comic novella helped establish Willem Elsschot—the pseudonym of Alfons de Ridder—as one of the great Dutch writers of the 20th century.