French Literature

Popular French Literature Books

33+ [Hand Picked] Popular Books On French Literature


4.8/5

Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly

The runaway bestseller Lilac Girls introduced the real-life heroine Caroline Ferriday. This sweeping new novel, set a generation earlier and also inspired by true events, features Caroline's mother, Eliza, and follows three equally indomitable women from St. Petersburg to Paris under the shadow of World War I. It is 1914 and the world has been on the brink of war so many ti The runaway bestseller Lilac Girls introduced the real-life heroine Caroline Ferriday. This sweeping new novel, set a generation earlier and also inspired by true events, features Caroline's mother, Eliza, and follows three equally indomitable women from St. Petersburg to Paris under the shadow of World War I. It is 1914 and the world has been on the brink of war so many times, many New Yorker's treat the subject with only passing interest. Eliza Ferriday is thrilled to be traveling to St. Petersburg with Sofya Streshnayva, a cousin of the Romanov's. The two met years ago one summer in Paris and became close confidantes. Now Eliza embarks on the trip of a lifetime, home with Sofya to see the splendors of Russia. But when Austria declares war on Serbia and Russia's Imperial dynasty begins to fall, Eliza escapes back to America, while Sofya and her family flee to their country estate. In need of domestic help, they hire the local fortuneteller's daughter, Varinka, unknowingly bringing intense danger into their household. On the other side of the Atlantic, Eliza is doing her part to help the White Russian families find safety as they escape the revolution. But when Sofya's letters suddenly stop coming she fears the worst for her best friend. From the turbulent streets of St. Petersburg to the avenues of Paris and the society of fallen Russian emigre's who live there, the lives of Eliza, Sofya, and Varinka will intersect in profound ways, taking readers on a breathtaking ride through a momentous time in history.
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4.8/5

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell

"An incredible story of under-appreciated heroism." - USA Today "A compelling biography of a masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave people -- and a little resistance." - NPR The never-before-told story of Virginia Hall, the American spy who changed the course of World War II, from the author of Clementine In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent "An incredible story of under-appreciated heroism." - USA Today "A compelling biography of a masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave people -- and a little resistance." - NPR The never-before-told story of Virginia Hall, the American spy who changed the course of World War II, from the author of Clementine In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her." The target in their sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way into Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed Winston Churchill's "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." She became the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and--despite her prosthetic leg--helped to light the flame of the French Resistance, revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it. Virginia established vast spy networks throughout France, called weapons and explosives down from the skies, and became a linchpin for the Resistance. Even as her face covered wanted posters and a bounty was placed on her head, Virginia refused order after order to evacuate. She finally escaped through a death-defying hike over the Pyrenees into Spain, her cover blown. But she plunged back in, adamant that she had more lives to save, and led a victorious guerilla campaign, liberating swathes of France from the Nazis after D-Day. Based on new and extensive research, Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered the full secret life of Virginia Hall--an astounding and inspiring story of heroism, spycraft, resistance, and personal triumph over shocking adversity. A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking story of how one woman's fierce persistence helped win the war.
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3.9/5

Les gratitudes by Delphine de Vigan

« Je suis orthophoniste. Je travaille avec les mots et avec le silence. Les non-dits. Je travaille avec la honte, le secret, les regrets. Je travaille avec l’absence, les souvenirs disparus, et ceux qui ressurgissent, au détour d’un prénom, d’une image, d’un mot. Je travaille avec les douleurs d’hier et celles d’aujourd’hui. Les confidences. Et la peur de mourir. Cela fait « Je suis orthophoniste. Je travaille avec les mots et avec le silence. Les non-dits. Je travaille avec la honte, le secret, les regrets. Je travaille avec l’absence, les souvenirs disparus, et ceux qui ressurgissent, au détour d’un prénom, d’une image, d’un mot. Je travaille avec les douleurs d’hier et celles d’aujourd’hui. Les confidences. Et la peur de mourir. Cela fait partie de mon métier. Mais ce qui continue de m’étonner, ce qui me sidère même, ce qui encore aujourd’hui, après plus de dix ans de pratique, me coupe parfois littéralement le souffle, c’est la pérennité des douleurs d’enfance. Une empreinte ardente, incandescente, malgré les années. Qui ne s’efface pas. » Michka est en train de perdre peu à peu l’usage de la parole. Autour d’elles, deux personnes se retrouvent : Marie, une jeune femme dont elle est très proche, et Jérôme, l’orthophoniste chargé de la suivre.
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4.9/5

Sea of Memories by Fiona Valpy

When Kendra first visits her ailing grandmother, Ella has only one request: that Kendra write her story down, before she forgets… In 1937, seventeen-year-old Ella’s life changes forever when she is sent to spend the summer on the beautiful Île de Ré and meets the charismatic, creative Christophe. They spend the summer together, exploring the island’s sandy beaches and cryst When Kendra first visits her ailing grandmother, Ella has only one request: that Kendra write her story down, before she forgets… In 1937, seventeen-year-old Ella’s life changes forever when she is sent to spend the summer on the beautiful Île de Ré and meets the charismatic, creative Christophe. They spend the summer together, exploring the island’s sandy beaches and crystal-clear waters, and, for the first time in her life, Ella feels truly free. But the outbreak of war casts everything in a new light. Ella is forced to return to Scotland, where she volunteers for the war effort alongside the dashing Angus. In this new world, Ella feels herself drifting further and further from who she was on the Île de Ré. Can she ever find her way back? And does she want to? From the windswept Île de Ré to the rugged hills of Scotland, Sea of Memories is a spellbinding journey about the power of memory, love and second chances.
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4.3/5

The Perfect Nanny by Leïla Slimani , Sam Taylor (Translator)

*One of the 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR of The New York Times Book Review* *National Bestseller* “A great novel . . . Incredibly engaging and disturbing . . . You read the entire novel knowing something terrible is coming. In that, Slimani has us in her thrall.” —Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author of Bad Feminist and Hunger “A book . . . that I’ve thought about prett *One of the 10 BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR of The New York Times Book Review* *National Bestseller* “A great novel . . . Incredibly engaging and disturbing . . . You read the entire novel knowing something terrible is coming. In that, Slimani has us in her thrall.” —Roxane Gay, New York Times bestselling author of Bad Feminist and Hunger “A book . . . that I’ve thought about pretty much every day . . . [It] felt less like an entertainment, or even a work of art, than like a compulsion. I found it extraordinary.” —Lauren Collins, The New Yorker “One of the most important books of the year. You can’t unread it.” —Barrie Hardymon, NPR’s Weekend Edition She has the keys to their apartment. She knows everything. She has embedded herself so deeply in their lives that it now seems impossible to remove her. When Myriam decides to return to work as a lawyer after having children, she and her husband look for the perfect nanny for their son and daughter. They never dreamed they would find Louise: a quiet, polite, devoted woman who sings to the children, cleans the family’s chic Paris apartment, stays late without complaint, and hosts enviable kiddie parties. But as the couple and the nanny become more dependent on one another, jealousy, resentment, and suspicions mount, shattering the idyllic tableau. Building tension with every page, The Perfect Nanny is a compulsive, riveting, bravely observed exploration of power, class, race, domesticity, motherhood, and madness—and the American debut of an immensely talented writer. The #1 international bestseller and winner of France’s most prestigious literary prize, the Goncourt, by the author of Adèle
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4.3/5

The Beekeeper's Promise by Fiona Valpy (Narrator)

Heartbroken and hoping for a new start, Abi Howes takes a summer job in rural France at the Château Bellevue. The old château echoes with voices from the past, and soon Abi finds herself drawn to one remarkable woman’s story, a story that could change the course of her summer—and her life. In 1938, Eliane Martin tends beehives in the garden of the beautiful Château Bellevue Heartbroken and hoping for a new start, Abi Howes takes a summer job in rural France at the Château Bellevue. The old château echoes with voices from the past, and soon Abi finds herself drawn to one remarkable woman’s story, a story that could change the course of her summer—and her life. In 1938, Eliane Martin tends beehives in the garden of the beautiful Château Bellevue. In its shadow she meets Mathieu Dubosq and falls in love for the first time, daring to hope that a happy future awaits. But France’s eastern border is darkening under the clouds of war, and history has other plans for Eliane… When she is separated from Mathieu in the chaos of German occupation, Eliane makes the dangerous decision to join the Resistance and fight for France’s liberty. But with no end to the war in sight, her loyalty to Mathieu is severely tested. From the bestselling author of, Sea of Memories comes the story of two remarkable women, generations apart, who must use adversity to their advantage and find the resilience deep within.
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3.8/5

La dernière des Stanfield by Marc Levy

Eleanor-Rigby est journaliste au magazine National Geographic, elle vit à Londres. Un matin, en rentrant de voyage, elle reçoit une lettre anonyme lui apprenant que sa mère a eu un passé criminel. George-Harrison est ébéniste, il vit dans les Cantons-de-l'Est au Québec. Un matin, il reçoit une lettre anonyme accusant sa mère des mêmes faits. Eleanor-Rigby et George-Harriso Eleanor-Rigby est journaliste au magazine National Geographic, elle vit à Londres. Un matin, en rentrant de voyage, elle reçoit une lettre anonyme lui apprenant que sa mère a eu un passé criminel. George-Harrison est ébéniste, il vit dans les Cantons-de-l'Est au Québec. Un matin, il reçoit une lettre anonyme accusant sa mère des mêmes faits. Eleanor-Rigby et George-Harrison ne se connaissent pas. L'auteur des lettres leur donne à chacun rendez-vous dans un bar de pêcheurs sur le port de Baltimore. Quel est le lien qui les unit ? Quel crime leurs mères ont-elles commis ? Qui est le corbeau et quelles sont ses intentions ? Au coeur d'un mystère qui hante trois générations, La Dernière des Stanfield nous entraîne de la France occupée à l'été 44, à Baltimore dans la liberté des années 80, jusqu'à Londres et Montréal de nos jours.
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4.2/5

Adèle by Leïla Slimani , Sam Taylor (Translator)

Adèle appears to have the perfect life: She is a successful journalist in Paris who lives in a beautiful apartment with her surgeon husband and their young son. But underneath the surface, she is bored--and consumed by an insatiable need for sex. Driven less by pleasure than compulsion, Adèle organizes her day around her extramarital affairs, arriving late to work and lying Adèle appears to have the perfect life: She is a successful journalist in Paris who lives in a beautiful apartment with her surgeon husband and their young son. But underneath the surface, she is bored--and consumed by an insatiable need for sex. Driven less by pleasure than compulsion, Adèle organizes her day around her extramarital affairs, arriving late to work and lying to her husband about where she's been, until she becomes ensnared in a trap of her own making. Suspenseful, erotic, and electrically charged, Adèle is a captivating exploration of addiction, sexuality, and one woman's quest to feel alive.
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3.9/5

P.S. from Paris by Marc Levy , Sam Taylor (Translator)

From Marc Levy, the most-read French author alive today, comes a modern-day love story between a famous actress hiding in Paris and a bestselling writer lying to himself. They knew their friendship was going to be complicated, but love—and the City of Lights—just might find a way. On the big screen, Mia plays a woman in love. But in real life, she’s an actress in need of a From Marc Levy, the most-read French author alive today, comes a modern-day love story between a famous actress hiding in Paris and a bestselling writer lying to himself. They knew their friendship was going to be complicated, but love—and the City of Lights—just might find a way. On the big screen, Mia plays a woman in love. But in real life, she’s an actress in need of a break from her real-life philandering husband—the megastar who plays her romantic interest in the movies. So she heads across the English Channel to hide in Paris behind a new haircut, fake eyeglasses, and a waitressing job at her best friend’s restaurant. Paul is an American author hoping to recapture the fame of his first novel. When his best friend surreptitiously sets him up with Mia through a dating website, Paul and Mia’s relationship status is “complicated.” Even though everything about Paris seems to be nudging them together, the two lonely ex-pats resist, concocting increasingly far-fetched strategies to stay “just friends.” A feat easier said than done, as fate has other plans in store. Is true love waiting for them in a postscript?
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3.9/5

Serotonin by Michel Houellebecq

»Es ist nicht die Zukunft, es ist die Gegenwart, die dich tötet, die wiederkommt, um an dir zu nagen.« In SEROTONIN rechnet die Hauptfigur ab: mit der modernen Gesellschaft, der Wirtschaft, der Politik – und mit sich selbst. »Der umwerfendste Schriftsteller unserer Gegenwart« Julia Encke, F.A.S
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3.9/5

La Tresse by Laetitia Colombani

Smita, Julia, Sarah. Trois femmes, trois vies, trois continents. Trois chemins que rien ne destine à se croiser. Trois histoires pourtant liées. Inde. Smita est une intouchable. Mariée à un chasseur de rats, elle nettoie a mains nues les latrines de son village, comme le faisait sa mère. Son rêve: voir sa fille échapper à la tradition et apprendre à lire. Lorsque cet espoir Smita, Julia, Sarah. Trois femmes, trois vies, trois continents. Trois chemins que rien ne destine à se croiser. Trois histoires pourtant liées. Inde. Smita est une intouchable. Mariée à un chasseur de rats, elle nettoie a mains nues les latrines de son village, comme le faisait sa mère. Son rêve: voir sa fille échapper à la tradition et apprendre à lire. Lorsque cet espoir est anéanti, elle décide de fuir avec l'enfant, malgré les mises en garde de son mari. Sicile. Julia est ouvrière dans l'atelier de traitement de cheveux de son père, le dernier du genre a Palerme. Elle trie, lave, décolore et teint des mèches fournies par les coiffeurs de la ville. Lorsque son père est victime d'un grave accident, elle découvre que l'atelier familial est ruiné. Canada. Sarah est une avocate réputée. Mère de trois enfants, deux fois divorcée, elle enchaine les dossiers à un rythme effréné. En passe d'être promue associée, elle apprend qu'elle est atteinte d'un cancer du sein. Sa vie en apparence parfaite commence à se fissurer. On dit parfois que la vie ne tient qu'à un fil... Et si la leur tenait à leur chevelure ? Trois destins de femmes que tout éloigne sauf l'essentiel: leur exigence de liberté.
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5/5

En finir avec Eddy Bellegueule by Édouard Louis

"Je suis parti en courant, tout à coup. Juste le temps d'entendre ma mère dire Qu'est-ce qui fait le débile là ? Je ne voulais pas rester à leur côté, je refusais de partager ce moment avec eux. J'étais déjà loin, je n'appartenais plus à leur monde désormais, la lettre le disait. Je suis allé dans les champs et j'ai marché une bonne partie de la nuit, la fraîcheur du Nord, "Je suis parti en courant, tout à coup. Juste le temps d'entendre ma mère dire Qu'est-ce qui fait le débile là ? Je ne voulais pas rester à leur côté, je refusais de partager ce moment avec eux. J'étais déjà loin, je n'appartenais plus à leur monde désormais, la lettre le disait. Je suis allé dans les champs et j'ai marché une bonne partie de la nuit, la fraîcheur du Nord, les chemins de terre, l'odeur de colza, très forte à ce moment de l'année. Toute la nuit fut consacrée à l'élaboration de ma nouvelle vie loin d'ici."En vérité, l'insurrection contre mes parents, contre la pauvreté, contre ma classe sociale, son racisme, sa violence, ses habitudes, n'a été que seconde. Car avant de m'insurger contre le monde de mon enfance, c'est le monde de mon enfance qui s'est insurgé contre moi. Très vite j'ai été pour ma famille et les autres une source de honte, et même de dégoût. Je n'ai pas eu d'autre choix que de prendre la fuite."
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4.8/5

Soumission by Michel Houellebecq

Dans une France assez proche de la nôtre, un homme s’engage dans la carrière universitaire. Peu motivé par l’enseignement, il s’attend à une vie ennuyeuse mais calme, protégée des grands drames historiques. Cependant les forces en jeu dans le pays ont fissuré le système politique jusqu’à provoquer son effondrement. Cette implosion sans soubresauts, sans vraie révolution, s Dans une France assez proche de la nôtre, un homme s’engage dans la carrière universitaire. Peu motivé par l’enseignement, il s’attend à une vie ennuyeuse mais calme, protégée des grands drames historiques. Cependant les forces en jeu dans le pays ont fissuré le système politique jusqu’à provoquer son effondrement. Cette implosion sans soubresauts, sans vraie révolution, se développe comme un mauvais rêve. Le talent de l’auteur, sa force visionnaire nous entraînent sur un terrain ambigu et glissant ; son regard sur notre civilisation vieillissante fait coexister dans ce roman les intuitions poétiques, les effets comiques, une mélancolie fataliste. Ce livre est une saisissante fable politique et morale.
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5/5

Ta deuxième vie commence quand tu comprends que tu n'en as qu'une by Raphaëlle Giordano

- Vous souffrez probablement d'une forme de routinite aiguë. - Une quoi ? - Une routinite aiguë. C'est une affection de l'âme qui touche de plus en plus de gens dans le monde, surtout en Occident. Les symptômes sont presque toujours les mêmes : baisse de motivation, morosité chronique, perte de repères et de sens, difficulté à être heureux malgré une opulence de biens matéri - Vous souffrez probablement d'une forme de routinite aiguë. - Une quoi ? - Une routinite aiguë. C'est une affection de l'âme qui touche de plus en plus de gens dans le monde, surtout en Occident. Les symptômes sont presque toujours les mêmes : baisse de motivation, morosité chronique, perte de repères et de sens, difficulté à être heureux malgré une opulence de biens matériels, désenchantement, lassitude... - Mais... Comment vous savez tout ça ? - Je suis routinologue. - Routino-quoi ?Camille, trente-huit ans et quart, a tout, semble-t-il, pour être heureuse. Alors pourquoi a-t-elle l'impression que le bonheur lui a glissé entre les doigts ? Tout ce qu'elle veut, c'est retrouver le chemin de la joie et de l'épanouissement. Quand Claude, routinologue, lui propose un accompagnement original pour l'y aider, elle n'hésite pas longtemps : elle fonce. À travers des expériences étonnantes, créatives et riches de sens, elle va, pas à pas, transformer sa vie et repartir à la conquête de ses rêves...
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4/5

Qui a tué mon père by Édouard Louis

« Est-ce qu’il est normal d’avoir honte d’aimer ? » Édouard Louis a publié deux livres, En finir avec Eddy Bellegueule et Histoire de la violence, qui ont été traduits dans une trentaine de langues et font l'objet d'adaptations théâtrales et cinématographiques.
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3.8/5

Paris Echo by Sebastian Faulks

Here is Paris as you have never seen it before – a city in which every building seems to hold the echo of an unacknowledged past, the shadows of Vichy and Algeria. American postdoctoral researcher Hannah and runaway Moroccan teenager Tariq have little in common, yet both are susceptible to the daylight ghosts of Paris. Hannah listens to the extraordinary witness of women wh Here is Paris as you have never seen it before – a city in which every building seems to hold the echo of an unacknowledged past, the shadows of Vichy and Algeria. American postdoctoral researcher Hannah and runaway Moroccan teenager Tariq have little in common, yet both are susceptible to the daylight ghosts of Paris. Hannah listens to the extraordinary witness of women who were present under the German Occupation; in her desire to understand their lives and through them her own, she finds a city bursting with clues and connections. Out in the migrant suburbs, Tariq is searching for a mother he barely knew. For him, in his innocence, each boulevard, Métro station and street corner is a source of surprise. In this urgent and deeply moving novel, Faulks deals with questions of empire, grievance, and identity. With great originality and a dark humour, Paris Echo asks how much we really need to know if we are to live a valuable life.
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4.4/5

Le Livre des Baltimore by Joël Dicker

Jusqu’au jour du Drame, il y avait deux familles Goldman. Les Goldman-de-Baltimore et les Goldman-de-Montclair. Les Goldman-de-Montclair, dont est issu Marcus Goldman, l’auteur de La Vérité sur l’Affaire Harry Quebert, sont une famille de la classe moyenne, habitant une petite maison à Montclair, dans le New Jersey. Les Goldman-de-Baltimore sont une famille prospère à qui t Jusqu’au jour du Drame, il y avait deux familles Goldman. Les Goldman-de-Baltimore et les Goldman-de-Montclair. Les Goldman-de-Montclair, dont est issu Marcus Goldman, l’auteur de La Vérité sur l’Affaire Harry Quebert, sont une famille de la classe moyenne, habitant une petite maison à Montclair, dans le New Jersey. Les Goldman-de-Baltimore sont une famille prospère à qui tout sourit, vivant dans une luxueuse maison d’une banlieue riche de Baltimore, à qui Marcus vouait une admiration sans borne. Huit ans après le Drame, c’est l’histoire de sa famille que Marcus Goldman décide cette fois de raconter, lorsqu’en février 2012, il quitte l’hiver new-yorkais pour la chaleur tropicale de Boca Raton, en Floride, où il vient s’atteler à son prochain roman. Au gré des souvenirs de sa jeunesse, Marcus revient sur la vie et le destin des Goldman-de-Baltimore et la fascination qu’il éprouva jadis pour cette famille de l’Amérique huppée, entre les vacances à Miami, la maison de vacances dans les Hamptons et les frasques dans les écoles privées. Mais les années passent et le vernis des Baltimore s’effrite à mesure que le Drame se profile. Jusqu’au jour où tout bascule. Et cette question qui hante Marcus depuis : qu’est-il vraiment arrivé aux Goldman-de-Baltimore ?
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4.1/5

A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II by Sonia Purnell

"An incredible story of under-appreciated heroism." - USA Today "A compelling biography of a masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave people -- and a little resistance." - NPR The never-before-told story of Virginia Hall, the American spy who changed the course of World War II, from the author of Clementine In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent "An incredible story of under-appreciated heroism." - USA Today "A compelling biography of a masterful spy, and a reminder of what can be done with a few brave people -- and a little resistance." - NPR The never-before-told story of Virginia Hall, the American spy who changed the course of World War II, from the author of Clementine In 1942, the Gestapo sent out an urgent transmission: "She is the most dangerous of all Allied spies. We must find and destroy her." The target in their sights was Virginia Hall, a Baltimore socialite who talked her way into Special Operations Executive, the spy organization dubbed Winston Churchill's "Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." She became the first Allied woman deployed behind enemy lines and--despite her prosthetic leg--helped to light the flame of the French Resistance, revolutionizing secret warfare as we know it. Virginia established vast spy networks throughout France, called weapons and explosives down from the skies, and became a linchpin for the Resistance. Even as her face covered wanted posters and a bounty was placed on her head, Virginia refused order after order to evacuate. She finally escaped through a death-defying hike over the Pyrenees into Spain, her cover blown. But she plunged back in, adamant that she had more lives to save, and led a victorious guerilla campaign, liberating swathes of France from the Nazis after D-Day. Based on new and extensive research, Sonia Purnell has for the first time uncovered the full secret life of Virginia Hall--an astounding and inspiring story of heroism, spycraft, resistance, and personal triumph over shocking adversity. A Woman of No Importance is the breathtaking story of how one woman's fierce persistence helped win the war.
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4.8/5

The Stranger by Albert Camus , Matthew Ward (Translator)

Through the story of an ordinary man unwittingly drawn into a senseless murder on an Algerian beach, Camus explored what he termed "the nakedness of man faced with the absurd." First published in English in 1946; now in a new translation by Matthew Ward.
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4.8/5

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert , Malcolm Bowie (Introduction) , Margaret Mauldon (Translator) , Tomás de C. Duran (Translator) , Mark Overstall (Contributor) , Victor Villarraza (Narrator)

Madame Bovary is the debut novel of French writer Gustave Flaubert, published in 1856. The character lives beyond her means in order to escape the banalities and emptiness of provincial life. When the novel was first serialized in La Revue de Paris between 1 October 1856 and 15 December 1856, public prosecutors attacked the novel for obscenity. The resulting trial in Januar Madame Bovary is the debut novel of French writer Gustave Flaubert, published in 1856. The character lives beyond her means in order to escape the banalities and emptiness of provincial life. When the novel was first serialized in La Revue de Paris between 1 October 1856 and 15 December 1856, public prosecutors attacked the novel for obscenity. The resulting trial in January 1857 made the story notorious. After Flaubert's acquittal on 7 February 1857, Madame Bovary became a bestseller in April 1857 when it was published in two volumes. A seminal work of literary realism, the novel is now considered Flaubert's masterpiece, and one of the most influential literary works in history.
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4/5

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry , Richard Howard (Translator)

Moral allegory and spiritual autobiography, The Little Prince is the most translated book in the French language. With a timeless charm it tells the story of a little boy who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet to travel the universe, learning the vagaries of adult behaviour through a series of extraordinary encounters. His personal odyssey culminates in a voyage to E Moral allegory and spiritual autobiography, The Little Prince is the most translated book in the French language. With a timeless charm it tells the story of a little boy who leaves the safety of his own tiny planet to travel the universe, learning the vagaries of adult behaviour through a series of extraordinary encounters. His personal odyssey culminates in a voyage to Earth and further adventures.
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4.6/5

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo , Lee Fahnestock (Translator) , Norman MacAfee (Translator)

Introducing one of the most famous characters in literature, Jean Valjean—the noble peasant imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread—Les Misérables ranks among the greatest novels of all time. In it, Victor Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good and evil, and carries them to the barricades during the uprising of 1832 wit Introducing one of the most famous characters in literature, Jean Valjean—the noble peasant imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread—Les Misérables ranks among the greatest novels of all time. In it, Victor Hugo takes readers deep into the Parisian underworld, immerses them in a battle between good and evil, and carries them to the barricades during the uprising of 1832 with a breathtaking realism that is unsurpassed in modern prose. Within his dramatic story are themes that capture the intellect and the emotions: crime and punishment, the relentless persecution of Valjean by Inspector Javert, the desperation of the prostitute Fantine, the amorality of the rogue Thénardier, and the universal desire to escape the prisons of our own minds. Les Misérables gave Victor Hugo a canvas upon which he portrayed his criticism of the French political and judicial systems, but the portrait that resulted is larger than life, epic in scope—an extravagant spectacle that dazzles the senses even as it touches the heart.
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4.2/5

Candide by Voltaire

Candide is the story of a gentle man who, though pummeled and slapped in every direction by fate, clings desperately to the belief that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds." On the surface a witty, bantering tale, this eighteenth-century classic is actually a savage, satiric thrust at the philosophical optimism that proclaims that all disaster and human suffering Candide is the story of a gentle man who, though pummeled and slapped in every direction by fate, clings desperately to the belief that he lives in "the best of all possible worlds." On the surface a witty, bantering tale, this eighteenth-century classic is actually a savage, satiric thrust at the philosophical optimism that proclaims that all disaster and human suffering is part of a benevolent cosmic plan. Fast, funny, often outrageous, the French philosopher's immortal narrative takes Candide around the world to discover that -- contrary to the teachings of his distinguished tutor Dr. Pangloss -- all is not always for the best. Alive with wit, brilliance, and graceful storytelling, Candide has become Voltaire's most celebrated work.
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4.7/5

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas , Robin Buss (Translator)

In 1815 Edmond Dantès, a young and successful merchant sailor who has just recently been granted the succession of his erstwhile captain Leclère, returns to Marseille to marry his Catalan fiancée Mercédès. Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle In 1815 Edmond Dantès, a young and successful merchant sailor who has just recently been granted the succession of his erstwhile captain Leclère, returns to Marseille to marry his Catalan fiancée Mercédès. Thrown in prison for a crime he has not committed, Edmond Dantès is confined to the grim fortress of If. There he learns of a great hoard of treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo and he becomes determined not only to escape, but also to unearth the treasure and use it to plot the destruction of the three men responsible for his incarceration.
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4.2/5

The Plague by Albert Camus , Stuart Gilbert (Translator) , Olga Mărculescu (Translator)

A gripping tale of human unrelieved horror, of survival and resilience, and of the ways in which humankind confronts death, The Plague is at once a masterfully crafted novel, eloquently understated and epic in scope, and a parable of ageless moral resonance, profoundly relevant to our times. In Oran, a coastal town in North Africa, the plague begins as a series of portents A gripping tale of human unrelieved horror, of survival and resilience, and of the ways in which humankind confronts death, The Plague is at once a masterfully crafted novel, eloquently understated and epic in scope, and a parable of ageless moral resonance, profoundly relevant to our times. In Oran, a coastal town in North Africa, the plague begins as a series of portents, unheeded by the people. It gradually becomes an omnipresent reality, obliterating all traces of the past and driving its victims to almost unearthly extremes of suffering, madness, and compassion.
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4.9/5

The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

Alexandre Dumas’s most famous tale— and possibly the most famous historical novel of all time— in a handsome hardcover volume. This swashbuckling epic of chivalry, honor, and derring-do, set in France during the 1620s, is richly populated with romantic heroes, unattainable heroines, kings, queens, cavaliers, and criminals in a whirl of adventure, espionage, conspiracy, murd Alexandre Dumas’s most famous tale— and possibly the most famous historical novel of all time— in a handsome hardcover volume. This swashbuckling epic of chivalry, honor, and derring-do, set in France during the 1620s, is richly populated with romantic heroes, unattainable heroines, kings, queens, cavaliers, and criminals in a whirl of adventure, espionage, conspiracy, murder, vengeance, love, scandal, and suspense. Dumas transforms minor historical figures into larger- than-life characters: the Comte d’Artagnan, an impetuous young man in pursuit of glory; the beguilingly evil seductress “Milady”; the powerful and devious Cardinal Richelieu; the weak King Louis XIII and his unhappy queen—and, of course, the three musketeers themselves, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, whose motto “all for one, one for all” has come to epitomize devoted friendship. With a plot that delivers stolen diamonds, masked balls, purloined letters, and, of course, great bouts of swordplay, The Three Musketeers is eternally entertaining.
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4.2/5

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo , Walter J. Cobb (Translator)

This extraordinary historical novel, set in Medieval Paris under the twin towers of its greatest structure and supreme symbol, the cathedral of Notre-Dame, is the haunting drama of Quasimodo, the hunchback; Esmeralda, the gypsy dancer; and Claude Frollo, the priest tortured by the specter of his own damnation. Shaped by a profound sense of tragic irony, it is a work that g This extraordinary historical novel, set in Medieval Paris under the twin towers of its greatest structure and supreme symbol, the cathedral of Notre-Dame, is the haunting drama of Quasimodo, the hunchback; Esmeralda, the gypsy dancer; and Claude Frollo, the priest tortured by the specter of his own damnation. Shaped by a profound sense of tragic irony, it is a work that gives full play to Victor Hugo's brilliant historical imagination and his remarkable powers of description.
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4.5/5

The Red and the Black by Stendhal , Roger Gard (Translator)

Handsome, ambitious Julien Sorel is determined to rise above his humble provincial origins. Soon realizing that success can only be achieved by adopting the subtle code of hypocrisy by which society operates, he begins to achieve advancement through deceit and self-interest. His triumphant career takes him into the heart of glamorous Parisian society, along the way conquer Handsome, ambitious Julien Sorel is determined to rise above his humble provincial origins. Soon realizing that success can only be achieved by adopting the subtle code of hypocrisy by which society operates, he begins to achieve advancement through deceit and self-interest. His triumphant career takes him into the heart of glamorous Parisian society, along the way conquering the gentle, married Madame de Rênal, and the haughty Mathilde. But then Julien commits an unexpected, devastating crime - and brings about his own downfall. The Red and the Black is a lively, satirical portrayal of French society after Waterloo, riddled with corruption, greed, and ennui, and Julien - the cold exploiter whose Machiavellian campaign is undercut by his own emotions - is one of the most intriguing characters in European literature.
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3.8/5

Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac

Père Goriot is the tragic story of a father whose obsessive love for his two daughters leads to his financial and personal ruin. Interwoven with this theme is that of the impoverished young aristocrat, Rastignac, who came to Paris from the provinces to hopefully make his fortune. He befriends Goriot and becomes involved with the daughters. The story is set against the back Père Goriot is the tragic story of a father whose obsessive love for his two daughters leads to his financial and personal ruin. Interwoven with this theme is that of the impoverished young aristocrat, Rastignac, who came to Paris from the provinces to hopefully make his fortune. He befriends Goriot and becomes involved with the daughters. The story is set against the background of a whole society driven by social ambition and lust for wealth.
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3.8/5

Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre , Lloyd Alexander (Translator) , Hayden Carruth (Introduction)

Nausea is the story of Antoine Roquentin, a French writer who is horrified at his own existence. In impressionistic, diary form he ruthlessly catalogues his every feeling and sensation about the world and people around him. His thoughts culminate in a pervasive, overpowering feeling of nausea which "spread at the bottom of the viscous puddle, at the bottom of our time, the Nausea is the story of Antoine Roquentin, a French writer who is horrified at his own existence. In impressionistic, diary form he ruthlessly catalogues his every feeling and sensation about the world and people around him. His thoughts culminate in a pervasive, overpowering feeling of nausea which "spread at the bottom of the viscous puddle, at the bottom of our time, the time of purple suspenders and broken chair seats; it is made of wide, soft instants, spreading at the edge, like an oil stain." Roquentin's efforts to try and come to terms with his life, his philosophical and psychological struggles, give Sartre the opportunity to dramatize the tenets of his Existentialist creed. The introduction for this edition of Nausea by Hayden Carruth gives background on Sartre's life and major works, a summary of the principal themes of Existentialist philosophy, and a critical analysis of the novel itself.
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4.5/5

Swann's Way by Marcel Proust , Simon Vance (Narrator) , Lydia Davis (Translator)

Swann's Way tells two related stories, the first of which revolves around Marcel, a younger version of the narrator, and his experiences in, and memories of, the French town Combray. Inspired by the "gusts of memory" that rise up within him as he dips a Madeleine into hot tea, the narrator discusses his fear of going to bed at night. He is a creature of habit and dislikes Swann's Way tells two related stories, the first of which revolves around Marcel, a younger version of the narrator, and his experiences in, and memories of, the French town Combray. Inspired by the "gusts of memory" that rise up within him as he dips a Madeleine into hot tea, the narrator discusses his fear of going to bed at night. He is a creature of habit and dislikes waking up in the middle of the night not knowing where he is. He claims that people are defined by the objects that surround them and must piece together their identities bit by bit each time they wake up. The young Marcel is so nervous about sleeping alone that he looks forward to his mother's goodnight kisses, but also dreads them as a sign of an impending sleepless night. One night, when Charles Swann, a friend of his grandparents, is visiting, his mother cannot come kiss him goodnight. He stays up until Swann leaves, and looks so sad and pitiful that even his disciplinarian father encourages "Mamma" to spend the night in Marcel's room.
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4/5

Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos , Douglas Parmée (Translator)

The complex moral ambiguities of seduction and revenge make Les Liaisons dangereuses (1782) one of the most scandalous and controversial novels in European literature. The subject of major film and stage adaptations, the novel's prime movers, the Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil, form an unholy alliance and turn seduction into a game - a game which they must The complex moral ambiguities of seduction and revenge make Les Liaisons dangereuses (1782) one of the most scandalous and controversial novels in European literature. The subject of major film and stage adaptations, the novel's prime movers, the Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil, form an unholy alliance and turn seduction into a game - a game which they must win. This new translation gives Laclos a modern voice, and readers will be able a judge whether the novel is as "diabolical" and "infamous" as its critics have claimed, or whether it has much to tell us about the kind of world we ourselves live in. David Coward's introduction explodes myths about Laclos's own life and puts the book in its literary and cultural context.
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4.2/5

Les Fleurs du Mal by Charles Baudelaire , Richard Howard (Translator)

Presents the first American translation of the complete text of Baudelaire's 1857 masterwork and includes the complete original French texts for easy comparison.
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