French Literature

[Liam]

Paul Morand's (1888-1976) slim but enchanting collection of three short stories (Clarissa, Delphine, and Aurora) is coming out in a new translation (by Euan Cameron) from the always reliable Pushkin Press under the title Tender Shoots:

[These] three alluring and independent young women—Clarissa, Delphine, and Aurora—are the titles of three short stories that Paul Morand composed during the First World War and set in London, a city of constant fascination to him. Stylish, poetic, and highly original, these urbane and witty stories boast a foreword by Marcel Proust.

At 95 pages, we're looking at a VERY slim collection, indeed.

 

[FHN]

I began to read The Man Who Laughs of Victor Hugo. I know that is very dramatic story about the unhappy man. That person lived with invariable smile in his face. Before I had read Le Dernier Jour d’un condamné. That is terrible and piercing story. I know that this story make an impression to many writers first of all Albert Camu

 

[Liam]

Véronique Olmi's Beside the Sea (2001) is to be published in English in September:

"A single mother takes her two sons on a trip to the seaside. They stay in a hotel, drink hot chocolate, and go to the funfair. She wants to protect them from an uncaring and uncomprehending world. She knows that it will be the last trip for her boys.

Beside the Sea is a haunting and thought-provoking story about how a mother's love for her children can be more dangerous than the dark world she is seeking to keep at bay. It's a hypnotizing look at an unhinged mind and the cold society that produced it.

With language as captivating as the story that unfolds, Véronique Olmi creates an intimate portrait of madness and despair that won't soon be forgotten."

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I think the original French title contains a delicious yet harrowing pun (duh!)--mer (sea) & mère (mother)--where the two become one and the same.

 

[Liam]

Didn't know where else to put this: 2012's notable Corsican fiction.

 

[Stiffelio]

Corsica is part of France, as much as Alaska (or Martha's Vineyard, for that matter) is part of the USA. So you've put it in the right place

 

[Daniel del Real]

Anyone have read (heard) poet Fréderic Boyer? He'll be at the Book Fair of my town and want to see if he's worthy to check it out.

 

[giraudoux]

Oh well, loved and hates are so personal. But in my own humble opinion, I really love Jean Giraudoux - he is my favourite, especially Ondine. I just love that play so much. And I also highly recommend Jean Anouilh. Both have often been associated with each other for having a similar style, so that must be why both appeal to me so much. I am also a big fan of Maupassant - I have never read any book of his I didn't like. If you don't know whcih one to pick, Bel-Ami is such a good read, or boule de suif, which is a short story. And for recent literature, I would recommend les yeux jaunes des crocodiles by Katherine pancol. It had quite a bit of succes, but it is well deserved in my eyes.

 

[Daniel del Real]

Coincidentally yesterday, while reading a Jorge Semprun's biography, Giradoux name was mentioned. I'm sure I had noticed it before in a Semprun book. Anyway, as he was a germanophile during a very complicated time he is not very well portrayed in the book, meaning appreciated.

 

[giraudoux]

Oh I see ! Well that is understandable I guess, but Giraudoux's passion for Germany, the language and German literature was born way before things got as you say "questionable". And it's interested you woudl mention that, as Ondine has often been considered Giraudoux's farewell of sorts to his german-french soul (l'âme franco-allemande).

 

[Liam]

A quick question about which edition to get: I'm looking to buy a certain book and it is available both from Gallimard and from Flammarion. The content is the same, but which of the two publishers produces better books? I guess I mean durability and aesthetic presentation combined. At the moment I am leaning toward Gallimard. (I am buying from an online store, so can't really take a "proper" look myself).

 

[nagisa]

Depends on the book itself, though usually Gallimard is better (usually ; for example, Kafka is better in Flammarion for translation reasons)

 

[Liam]

OK, thanks,

This one was a Flaubert, and yeah, I ended up ordering the Gallimard edition.

 

[Daniel del Real]

A list of the best 18 french novels in the XXI century was created by Librotea, a book webpage owned by Spaniard journal El País.

Thoughts?

https://librotea.elpais.com/usuario...es-novelas-francesas-del-siglo-xxi-S1g7f3ueAz

 

[Liam]

A solid list, overall, though I thought Houellebecq's Elementary Particles was a much better book than The Map and the Territory (which was also good, but not as).

 

[garzuit]

Mmm... no Marie Ndiaye?

 

[Ater Lividus Ruber & V]

I haven't read ritournelle de la faim yet - library doesn't have it - (and which was published the same day he got the Nobel, if I recall), but from French friends, I've heard it's somewhat blah, far from his best work. If anything, his newest book, Alma, is supposed to be a real return to form.

Don't think it's that great of a list.

Am awaiting Cleanthes to tear it apart

 

[Cleanthess]

I agree with Liam, it's a solid list that reflects the mainstream well.

The list being what it is, it means that novels by playful or experimental writers like Éric Chevillard, Olivier Cadiot, Antoine Volodine, Pierre Guyotat, Chloé Delaume, Marie Darrieussecq and Céline Minard were not to be included.

I miss some mainstream male writers like Régis Jauffret (his Univers univers is great fun) or Éric Vuillard, whose latest, L'Ordre du jour, is excellent; as was his first (published January 2000), Le Chasseur, which reads like a crossbreed between Kafka and Louis-René des Forets, as others have pointed out before. Olivier Rolin's Paper Tiger, Veracruz or Le Météorologue would also have been nice to see listed. Finally, let's mention that obscure masterpiece, Michel Chaillou's Le Matamore ébouriffé.

Among the women writers, it would have been great to see included Pierrette Fleutiaux (say, her Des phrases courtes, ma chérie), Olivia Rosenthal (On n'est pas là pour disparaître or maybe Que font les rennes après Noël ? ) or Linda Lê (Cronos or Lame de fond).

I haven't read the particular Le Clézio they list, but his latest two novels, Alma and Bitna show that the he continues to produce solid, interesting work. Arno Bertina is slowly becoming an impressive writer, his latest, Des châteaux qui brûlent, particularly so.

As for the negatives, Beigbeder, really? And no Pierre Senges or Mathias Énard, are you kidding me?

See http://w11.zetaboards.com/thefictionalwoods/single/?p=8281958&t=10325807 for some more names.

 

[Ater Lividus Ruber & V]

And this is why we are lucky to have you posting

 

[Liam]

It'd be interesting to see similar lists for Russian, Italian and German literatures, among others.

 

[peter_d]

It surprised me that neither Grossman nor Shishkin cracked the top 50, and Trifonov didn't make the list at all.

This thread is getting off-topic, which is a pity. Maybe one of the moderators can move the last few messages to the Russian literature thread. This is because nobody will look for it here when they want to take another look at this interesting list after some time. Having said that, scrolling down the list I was waiting for Yuri Olesha to appear. But he didn't...