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Any recommendations for a feel good, happy french book?
That is an an excellent question that should be a Stand Alone question Ongoing for this thread. We should all seek to answer it because it is so hard.
Let's face it, French literature has very major reoccurring themes of
ennui and melancholy running throughout it during the 20th century. Whether it is Camus or F. Mauriac or F. Sagan or M. Duras or recent Goncourt prize winner Michel Houellebecq, French authors are not happy people. French fiction just does not do "happy". Annie Ernaud certainly is not happy. That being said there are some books out there that actually are upbeat:
La promesse de l'aube by Romain Gary is outwardly upbeat but ultimately very depressing; really.
Marcel Pagnol
Le Château de mon père and
Le Château de mon père are light and frothy throughout.
Un Sac de Billes by J. Joffo is a real life war time story that is ultimately uplifting.
Une Vie Simone Veil is truly riveting and inspiring throughout and tells a magnificent true story. Check her out on Wikipedia.
But getting back to contemporary fiction I would offer up Amelie Nothomb. She is totally wacked out and wonderful and I have read 5-6 of her books (some 2-3 times) and find her truly unique. There is no one like her in English literature.
Stupeur Et Tremblements
Le Sabotage amoureux
Métaphysique des tubes
Mercure
Frappe-toi le coeur
La biographie de la faim Stupeur Et Tremblements is about her having a total nervous breakdown and then coming through the other side of it. It has won lots of prizes.......
All of her books are cathartic for me but certainly not "happy."
You either love or hate her; you either get her or don't; it is not a matter of an acquired taste.
The above of course is just my run through of what I like in icecream and everyone has their own flavors.....
Please folks, if you know of 20th century French fiction that is upbeat and a joy to read, please......... share the titles with us. I truly want to learn...