I’m looking for a good book written by a french author. I learned french and I don’t want to forget it, so I want a catchy and smoothly redacted book that keeps me reading. It’s ok if you read it translated, I can look for the original version.
Preferably not science fiction or romance, but I’m open to anything.
Thanks!
by annekeat
5 Comments
Hard to look past the works of Camus and JP Satre.
Yasmina Reza wrote a number of plays in French, if you fancy some drama! I’d suggest you give her work a go. Fabulous writer.
Interestingly (for me), the great Samuel Beckett wrote most, if not all of his works in French as he felt the diction and pacing added something vital to the essence of his work that an English translation could not.
I greatly enjoyed the [Mirror Visitor series](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40969531-a-winter-s-promise) by Christelle Dabos. I read it in English but the translation was great and both the concept and the writing were spectacular!
If you’re not into fantasy, I also greatly enjoyed [The Stranger](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/49552.The_Stranger) by Albert Camus. I read it in college and have re-read it a couple of times. And of course there is always [The Little Prince](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/157993.The_Little_Prince) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I had never read it until adulthood but when I did I found it to be a very beautiful story.
*Le Comte de Monte-Cristo*, by Alexandre Dumas. Especially fun if you’re into adventure stories, but just a great read, in general. I’ve read it in French, as well as a couple different English translations.
It might be intimidating, as it’s written in 19th century French, and is more than 1000 pages.
Journey to the End of Night by Louis Celine
*The Little Prince*
If you like memoirs, all of Annie Ernaux ‘s books: *Simple Passion*, *The Frozen Woman*, *A Man’s Story*, *The Happening*, etc.