Join author Thomas Schlesser and The Economist’s culture editor Alexandra Suich Bass for a conversation on Mona’s Eyes, the international bestseller about a young girl’s final year of sight. For one year, Mona and her grandfather visit a different masterpiece each week—from Botticelli to Basquiat—learning how art helps us see the world and ourselves. This event invites audiences to reflect on the role of beauty in times of uncertainty, the bonds between generations, and how art shapes the way we understand life, memory, and loss.

About the speakers:

Thomas Schlesser is the director of the Hartung-Bergman Foundation in Antibes, France. He teaches Art History at the École Polytechnique in Paris and is the author of several works of nonfiction about art, artists, and the relationship between art and politics in the 20th century. He is the grandson of André Schlesser, known as Dadé, a singer and cabaret performer who founded the Cabaret L ’Écluse. Mona’s Eyes is Schlesser’s second novel and his American debut. It has been translated into thirty-eight languages, including Braille. Schlesser was awarded 2025’s Author of the Year by Livres Hebdo.

Alexandra Suich Bass is The Economist’s Culture editor, overseeing the paper’s books, arts and entertainment coverage. Until 2024 the position was based in London; she moved the role to Paris to bring more attention to the city’s cultural offerings and status as a global arts hub.Previously, she served as senior correspondent for politics, technology and society, covering a range of political and public-policy topics. She is author of a cover story on the “Disunited States of America” and a special report arguing that America’s future can be understood by studying California and Texas. Alexandra has also served as The Economist’s finance correspondent and wrote about hedge funds, private equity and insurance. Alexandra was named Britain’s Young Financial Journalist of the Year by the Wincott Foundation. She graduated from Yale, where she double-majored in history and African studies.

This event is part of Ways of Seeing, a special series exploring the connections between storytelling, creativity, and the visual world. Join the conversation and attend events featuring cultural luminaries. Learn more →

Important information: The discussion will be available both online and in person. While the conversation will happen in person (the speakers will appear in the Reading Room), the Library will stream the conversation on Zoom for a live viewing experience. Both in-person and online attendees will be able to pose questions.

Attendance at this event constitutes permission for your photograph or video to be taken at the event and used by the American Library in Paris for marketing, promotional, pedagogical, or other purposes.