So I'm doing a Secret Santa with other teachers at the school I work at. I got a foreign language teacher, and one of the things he's interested in is French novels. I checked the wiki but it's all classical stuff. Anyone have any more contemporary recommendations? I did some investigations on my own and found pic related as an interesting sounding option, but wanted some more opinions. Thanks for any suggestions.
>>7442011
I loved it as a kid (the ant parts at least) but it's pop trash, to be honest. And the three books get progressively worse and increasingly uninspired.
>a foreign language teacher, and one of the things he's interested in is French novels
You haven't specified the language (eg does he read French)
Im from Belgium and Werber is pleb, you might want to try some Wajid Mouawad, its ttheater but it's awesome
Dump this trash and get him a nice copy of “Toilers of the Sea” or “Wind, Sand and Stars”. Why would you buy a worthless modern fiction when you can rely on widely known, appreciated and highly esteemed work? Give him a fine hardover of “Against the Grain”, he will get the reference if he read Michel Houellebecq.
If he's not a pleb then get him Vies minuscules by Michon
>Vies minuscules by Michon
That's a great choice, or you can try some Quignard (Dernier royaume: Les Ombres errantes; or probably any later, it's all great; Terrasse à Rome; Villa Amalia; etc)
I think Andre Breton's 'Nadja' was originally French
>>7442041
He teaches Spanish and Latin at the school and is learning French himself, so he's looking for good stuff to help with his fluency.
Thanks for the suggestions guys. This is way outside my wheelhouse.
>>7442011
why no classical stuff?
read Honoré de Balzac (the invincible god-king of frence novels)
its clasical but its not as the baroque/shakespeare-stuff many englischspeaker mean by "clasical"
>>7443481
Lost Illusions is the shit. It's kind of a weird book to give someone but it's great
>>7443481
It isn't “classical”. French classical literature refers to the work published during tardive 16th century and early 18th century. Basically, everthing between François de Malherbe and the death of Louis XIV. The 18th century is referred to as the philosophical century and 19th century the romanticist century—although classical codes are still used till “Hernani”'s publication—in the history of French literature.
>>7445214
i checked it and we are bouth wrong
"frence classic" was from 1660 to 1715 so its mid 17th century to early 18th c..
>19th century the romanticist century
its right but romantic wasn't that big in in france as it wars in "germany".
i would say its hard to say that Balzac was a writer of the "romanticist century"
he was clearly one of the founders of realism. (wiki)
so sorry i was mixing the dates of "Weimar Classicism" and "frence classicisme"
>>7442011
Belgianfag here, try Jean Ray's Malpertuis.
We don't have many good writers here but this one is dope.
Oh, and check Boris Vian too
You should try Amelie nothomb,Christine angot, virginie despentes
