French Book of the Month

La Vérité

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 21:11:59 +0100

Florian Zeller is a very successful French novelist and playright who was awarded the Prix Interallié in 2004 for his novel ‘La Fascination du pire’ translated by Sue Dyson (The Fascination of Evil) and published in the UK, along with his other novels, by Pushkin Modern.
La Vérité is a very interesting, and funny, twist on truth, lies, relationships and friendships. It is the story of a serial liar who is being lied to by the very people closest to him. The play was a huge critical and public success in France and ran for most of 2011 at the Théâtre de Montparnasse in Paris, where it originally opened on 19th January 2011, directed by Patrice Kerbrat, with Pierre Arditi in the leading role.
This publication also includes another play La Mère.

Les Miserables

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 20:45:59 +0000

There is no need to introduce Les Misérables, the master piece by French poet and author Victor Hugo. Victor Hugo was sixty when he finished Les Misérables. He considered that he could then die, having achieved his main duty. And what a duty. The novel published here in three volumes, follows the lives and interactions of several characters, focusing on the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his experience of redemption. Examining the nature of law and grace, the novel elaborates upon the history of France, the architecture and urban design of Paris, politics, moral philosophy, anti-monarchism, justice, religion, and the types and nature of romantic and familial love. Les Misérables has been popularised through numerous adaptations for the stage, television, and film, including a musical and a 2013 film version of that musical, out now at a cinema near you!
This is not a novel for the novice reader/learner. But if you’re up to the challenge, it will be rewarding.

Les sept minutes

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 21:22:10 +0000

Les sept minutes comprises three crime stories by G7:
Le Grand Langoustier - At Poquerolles, three women have disappeared. Suspicion falls on Henri, the owner of “Le Grand Langoustier”, a Lady’s man with a mysterious past. This is exactly what is bothering G7...
La nuit des 7 minutes - In an isolated mansion in Asnieres, a Russian General is killed from one gun shot. Suicide? Murder? The conundrum is perfect, but G7 will solve the enigma by falling in love with a photographer...
La “Marie-Galante” - The “Marie-Galante”, after having been mourned for years, sails off one night like a ghost ship. On board, no one; in the hold, the body of a woman. G7 is requested to conduct a parallel investigation by the ship owner. He’s not well, he stays in his bedroom, looking down the harbour, and suddenly, despite all appearances, G7 brings the truth to light.
This selection of 3 short stories by Simenon, the well known and popular crime novelist, makes an ideal introduction to reading in French. The language is very accessible and the stories engaging to keep you going.

Le Pigeon

Sun, 11 Nov 2012 21:39:25 +0000

The Pigeon (German: Die Taube) is a novella about the fictional character Jonathan Noel, a solitary Parisian bank security guard who undergoes an existential crisis when a pigeon roosts in front of his one-room apartment's door, prohibiting him entrance to his private sanctuary. The story takes place in the span of one day, and follows how this seemingly insignificant event compounds to threaten Noel's sanity. The titular pigeon is a symbol for disorder intruding on the protagonist's meticulously organised existence. This book is Süskind's followup to his first novel, Perfume.
On offer here is the French translation, which would constitue a good introductory read if you’re familiar with the English version.

Pierre et Jean

Sun, 7 Oct 2012 21:16:03 +0100

When his brother Jean (a lawyer) inherits the fortune of family friend Léon Maréchal, Pierre (an unemployed doctor) starts doubting the fidelity of his mother Louise and the legitimacy of his brother. His investigation into the matter starts violent reactions form Pierre who tortures his mother with allusions to the past he thinks he has discovered. While Jean’s career and love life improve over the course of the novel, Pierre’s gets significantly worse... Through this story of a family torn apart by jealousy, Maupassant shows great skills as a raconteur, using subtlety and restraint in a very picturesque and energetic style which made him one of the greatest - and most modern - writer of French literature. This is a fairly short novel (Maupassant’s shortest).