6 New French Books You Should Read
It’s French literary award season, and here are the books juries recommend adding to your "To Read" list — including one notable title that was overlooked. The Prix Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary prize, awards winners €10, which they often frame and display proudly, sometimes at greater cost than the prize itself. The Prix Renaudot does not offer a cash award, yet both, alongside the Prix Médicis, the Femina Prize, and the Académie Française Grand Prix du Roman, significantly boost book sales.
To keep pace with your literary circle, consider these French books on your next visit to the local bookstore.
La Maison Vide (The Empty House)
Laurent Mauvignier’s La Maison Vide won the Prix Goncourt after only one voting round. This 750-page novel is a detailed, fourth wall-breaking exploration of his family history, starting with his great-great-grandmother, told through heirlooms and keepsakes. The story carries a thriller-like tension and has already won the Prix littéraire Le Monde and the Prix des libraires de Nancy-Le Point, while also being shortlisted for the Femina prize.
The Prix Goncourt prize is “a cheque for €10, which winners apparently tend to have framed...and displayed proudly on the wall of their office or writing nook.”
These awards may offer little or no financial reward but greatly increase the visibility and sales of the honored books.
Author’s summary: French literary prizes, despite modest financial awards, greatly enhance the recognition and popularity of works like Laurent Mauvignier’s acclaimed family saga La Maison Vide.