The Rarest Fruit

By Gaëlle Bélem, 

Translated by Hildegarde Serle

NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF 2025・BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR - Washington Independent Review of Books

“A gorgeous novel.”—New York Times

“A revealing, history-infused novel that spills its tale with the eager breathlessness, wry commentary, and frank truths of a close friend...Bélem…transforms little-known history into an exquisite ode.”—The Christian Science Monitor

Set in the 19th-century on Réunion Island, this new novel by International Booker Prize-longlisted author, Gaëlle Bélem, tells the true story of Edmond Albius, a young Creole boy whose extraordinary talent for botany leads him to revolutionize the highly competitive vanilla industry. Here is the incredible hidden story of a beloved flavor wrapped in a tale about resilience, science, exploration, defiance, and desert! Told with great verve and perfect pitch, The Rarest Fruit is both a poignant tribute to the unsung heroes of history and a vivid portrayal of the many destinies that may be shaped by a single discovery.

★ “Belem’s piercing bildungsroman memorializes Edmond while filling in the gaps with a masterful balance of humor, tragedy, and emotional insight. It’s an impressive feat.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Paperback / Fiction / Biographical & Autofiction / Historical / World Literature / France / 19th Century / Nature & the Environment / Literary

0.6" H x 8.1" L x 5.2" W (0.44 lbs) 192 pages