A French philosophy professor-turned- novelist Muriel Barbery said Sunday in Taipei that she was happy about her decision to change her profession to literature as it has helped her in life. 'It has been three years since I taught philosophy. I'm happy I gave up philosophy because literature helped me better understand life, ' the author said through a translator to an audience of over 100 at a local book fair that will conclude Monday. She also said that she was pleased with the way she satirized the French elite in her book, the Elegance of the Hedgehog, or L'elegance du herisson in French. More than one million copies of the book have been sold in France and the book has also been adapted into film. More than 100,000 copies were sold in Taiwan. Barbery, 41, will also visit Japan as part of her trip to Asia. 