I like to read French books, mostly novels. Here’s some books I’ve read, some books I’d like to read, and odds and ends that I might expand into blog posts some day.
Books I’ve Read
Some of the books I’ve read lately. I’ve lost track of anything before 2019, and some since no doubt. These are not in any particular order.
- Quand sort la recluse, by Fred Vargas (2017)
- L’Anomalie, by Hervé Le Tellier (2020)
- Tartarin de Tarascon [part I], by Alphonse Daudet (1872)
- Un Crime en Hollande, by George Simenon (1931)
- La Peste, by Albert Camus (1947)
- Civilizations, by Laurent Binet (2019)
- La Nuit des temps, by René Barjavel (1968)
- La Nuit du carrefour, by George Simenon (1931)
- La Vérité sur l’Affaire Harry Quebert, by Joël Dicker (2012)
- Sigmund Fred ne répond plus, by Joseph Bialot (1982)
- La Disparition de Stephanie Mailer, by Joël Dicker (2018)
- Loin, by Alexis Michalik (2019)
- Pietr-le-Letton, by George Simenon (1931)
- Le Charretier de «La Providence», by George Simenon (1931)
- Monsieur Gallet, décédé, by George Simenon (1931)
- Le Pendu de Saint-Pholien, by George Simenon (1931)
- La Tête d’un homme, by George Simenon (1931)
- Le Chien jaune, by George Simenon (1931)
- La Nuit du carrefour, by George Simenon (1931)
- Le Sang des sirènes, by Thierry Serfaty (2000)
- Debout les morts, by Fred Vargas (1995)
- Un peu plus loin sur la droite, by Fred Vargas (1996)
- Sans Feu ni Lieu, by Fred Vargas (1997)
- Coule la Seine, by Fred Vargas (2002)
- L’Armée furieuse, by Fred Vargas (2011)
- Tobie Lolness: La Vie suspendu, by Timothée de Fombelle (2006)
- Tobie Lolness: Les Yeux d’Elisha, by Timothée de Fombelle (2007)
- La Mort du roi Tsongor, by Laurent Gaudé (2002)
- Le Soleil des Scorta, by Laurent Gaudé (2004)
- Code 93, by Olivier Norek (2013)
Books I’d Like to Read
- Arsène Lupin, gentleman-cambrioleur, by Maurice Leblanc (1907)
- Travailleurs de la mer, by Victor Hugo (1866)
- Dans le jardin de l’ogre, by Leïla Slimani (2014)
- Le Pays des autres, by Leïla Slimani (2020)
Authors to Explore
- Amélie Nothomb
Odds and Ends
Someday I’ll write more about Simenon.
George Simenon is to French detective fiction what Agatha Christie or Arthur Conan Doyle is to English detective fiction. His character Commissaire Maigret debuted in 1931 and went on to appear in 75 novels and 28 short stories over 41 years. He was also portrayed in countless films and television shows, making him one of the best known characters in French literature. In 2019, the French publisher Omnibus re-issued all of Simenon’s works, including a 10 volume set of all the Maigret novels and stories. I bought the first two volumes, have been reading my way through the novels:
- Loin, by Alexis Michalik (2019). The debut novel by the darling of the 21st century French theater. Got mediocre reviews from the critics. I really enjoyed about 40% of it, was very disappointed by the last 10%, and was luke warm on the other 50%. I really liked the prologue though, so much so that I translated it into English to share with my English-speaking friends. I included the French text of the prologue at the bottom of my translation, if you want to read that as well.