Au Revoir, Tristesse: Lessons in Happiness from French Literature

(Hardback)

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Description

Like many people the world over, Viv Groskop wishes she was a little more French. A writer, comedian, and journalist, Groskop studied the language obsessively starting at age 11, and spent every vacation in France, desperate to escape her Englishness and to have some French chic rub off on her. In Au Revoir, Tristesse, Groskop mixes literary history and memoir to explore how the classics of French literature can infuse our lives with joie de vivre and teach us how to say goodbye to sadness. From the frothy hedonism of Colette and the wit of Cyrano de Bergerac to the intoxicating universe of Marguerite Duras and the heady passions of Les Liaisons dangereuses, this is a love letter to great French writers. With chapters on Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo, Gustave Flaubert, Stendhal, Honor de Balzac, Albert Camus, and of course Franoise Sagan, this is a delectable read for book lovers everywhere.

Reviews

Groskop skillfully juggles memoir, biography, philosophy, and literary criticism to create a delightful tour through some of French literatures greats. As a guide she is top notch: witty, infectiously engaged, and always thoughtful. This book will charm both newcomers and Francophiles alike. -- Madeline Miller * author of The Song of Achilles and Circe *
a lighthearted and insightful rompto dip into cheerfully, whether to recall novels read years ago or to find an entertaining entre into those yet unread. * Publishers Weekly *
thoughtfula lighthearted read for all fans of French literature * Kirkus Reviews *
Ms. Groskop is a skilled raconteuse who brings peopleand the pageto life. She writes with a self-deprecating appreciation of the Frenchman or -woman manqu(e) that lurks in us all. You dont have to be a savant to enjoy this bookAu Revoir, Tristesse will make a witty, seductive companion. * The Wall Street Journal *
Groskops combination of her own memories, what the novels meant to her at different stages in her life, her description of the authors, along with her description of the novels, will have readers eagerly turning the books pages. Theyll also be making a list of novels they want to buy, and movies they want to see. * Forbes *

Author Bio

Viv Groskop is an award-winning comedian, writer, and broadcaster. She is the author of The Anna Karenina Fix: Life Lessons from Russian Literature. She writes for the Guardian, Observer, and Financial Times and has a weekly column in the New European. She lives in London.