I'm not fluent in French, but I have a basic working knowledge of the language, it's construction, grammar and syntax, as well as a propensity to expand my vocabulary.
To the francophones and native speakers on this board: who are the most eloquent writers you have read? I don't necessarily mean the most interesting or compelling writers, but the ones who could write with eloquence and grace, something like Henry James in English.
In a sense, I'm basically asking who, in your opinion, is the best French prose stylist; but really I just want to read something where clarity and economy of expression is valued over expressive and creative liberties.
I'm technically a native speaker of french since I've spoken it from birth, but it is a bit rusty.
Stendhal is probably my favorite french author, the writing is just fucking incredible. I would recommend La Chartreuse de Parme over Le Rouge et le Noir. Flaubert is also very beautiful. Andre Gide has the best dialogue I think I have encountered, Les Faux-monnayeurs is especially good.
For your specific question there I would say maybe Albert Camus, there's a reason they teach him to highschool kids, he has an ability for precision, for lucidity, and pure evocative power that made him world famous along with his pseudo-philosophies. A slightly different possibility is Marguerite Duras, that would definitely be in line with 'clarity of and economy of expression'.
The best french literature is probably Racine and Corneille though which is not really what you're after I guess
John Miller
Thank you for your reccs. What I've read of Flaubert in the original is indeed what I'm looking for, but I didn't want to be so obvious with my inquiry. I've read rouge et noir, but not Parma, so that'll be good. I've also read Les faux-monnayeurs in translation and thought it was superb, but I've never felt the need to reread it although I do have a French edition of it lying around somewhere. I'll get to that then as well. Again, thanks for the input.
Jack Nguyen
I would really recommend reading Les Faux-Monnayeurs in the original, it is simply brilliant, it's like a microcosm of French culture in that period. L'immoraliste and La porte etroite are also interesting in their own ways, if you like Sartre at all, I consider the former a more interesting version of his Nausee, and la porte etroite is just something else entirely.
You might like, or already know, Giono, Les Ames Fortes is an interesting one
On a very different note Montherlant is a massively underappreciated french writer. He is politically unpalatable to most but he's brilliant. La Reine Morte is one of my favorite of the French reinterpretations of the old Greek political tragedy, and his novel Le Chaos et la Nuit is maybe the bleakest evocation of 20th century malaise, confusion, and despair ever put to paper. It seriously puts Voyage au bout de la nuit or La condition humaine to shame in that respect.
What are your favorite authors in their literature?
Bentley Lewis
>something where clarity and economy of expression is valued over expressive and creative liberties. Montaigne, but he might still be slightly dated
Angel Clark
My question does not exactly fit the thread, but i did not want to start a new one, when there is already one about french literature. I learned some french in school, but over the years, i forgot most of it. Now i want to start again, kind of a one year challenge. Are there any easy to read short storys or short books, that you would recomend? Merci bien :-)
Daniel Davis
Camus, Balzac. Zola has a highly-journalistic style that's easy to follow but you will still need a good dictionary.
Jonathan Kelly
>To the francophones and native speakers on this board: who are the most eloquent writers you have read? Montaigne, Rousseau, La Bruyère, Huysmans and obviously Rabelais.
Also, what this user said : >I've read rouge et noir, but not Parma, so that'll be good. Make sure to read his less famous works as well (La vie de Henry Brulard is excellent for exemple)
Camus, Voltaire and Ionesco are fairly simple.
Samuel Wilson
Would you recommend a modernized version of Montaigne and Rabelais for a non-native speaker? I've dipped into some old Garnier classics of them in old bookshops but I get the feeling that I'm coming up against a double challenge. Not that it would be any more difficult than, say, picking up Chaucer's middle-english after a few pages of reading it aloud. When it comes to authors who are lauded and praised for their witty and revolutionary use of their respective language, I know I'm going to lose more than usual through translation (unless it has copious footnotes explaining or alluding to the omissions).
Justin Harris
Amelie Nothomb Guillaume musso Marc levy Christine Angot
Ayden Carter
>>Are there any easy to read short storys or short books, that you would recomend? montaigne. you can read any chapter in any order [just knowing that book 3 is the last opinions of the guy] and you avoid passing for pleb since it is not fiction
Henry Ramirez
>Would you recommend a modernized version of Montaigne and Rabelais for a non-native speaker? You won't understand the original unless your French is excellent. It's not worth trying if you're still learning the language imo, I don't know why these people are telling you to read them. If you're going to read a modernized version you might as well read it in English.
Here's a sample from Rabelais to give you an idea : >Grandgousier estoit bon raillard en son temps, aymant à boyre net autant que homme qui pour lors fust au monde, et mangeoit voluntiers salé. A ceste fin, avoit ordinairement bonne munition de jambons de Magence et de Baionne, force langues de beuf fumées, abondance de andouilles en la saison et beuf sallé à la moustarde, renfort de boutargues , provision de saulcisses, non de Bouloigne (car il craignoit ly boucon de Lombard), mais de Bigorre, de Lonquaulnay, de la Brene et de Rouargue .
>En son eage virile, espousa Gargamelle, fille du roy des Parpaillos, belle gouge et de bonne troigne, et faisoient eux deux souvent ensemble la beste à deux doz, joyeusement se frotans leur lard, tant qu'elle engroissa d'un beau filz et le porta jusques à l'unziesme moys.
David Reyes
>Would you recommend a modernized version of Montaigne and Rabelais for a non-native speaker? Sure. But don't read Montaigne or Rabelais now, they are far too difficult.
Nathaniel White
Depends on their level. I know of a Spanish speaker who learned French decently enough going with Montaigne.
Brandon Gray
Well Montaigne is easier than Rabelais. But I don't think that forcing your way through Montaigne is really interesting. I feel like reading Stendhal or Gide before is higly preferable
Blake Cruz
hnmmm, the francophone in me wants to suggest Les Miserables; if you have the time and such, as it is quite the volume. It's not the vocabulary that murders you, its the sheer girth of the work.
Maybe I should be asking myself the same questions though, as the only French book I've read recently was Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. You may find you like that one better, as it is a children's series so the straightforwardness is quite appealing. I read it in highschool and I wanted to revisit some things.
Straight up.
Angel Jenkins
Flaubert for days. Montaigne, Stendhal, Proust, and Balzac are other contenders. Anyone who says Rabelais missed the point.
Charles Adams
La Parure
anyways, I second Zola.
Aaron Carter
Léon Bloy, Joris-Karl Huysmans, Jules Barbey d'Aurevilly, ...or even André Breton, being very pleasant to hear too ; Gaston Bachelard, Henri Bergson would be more in the way of clarity and economy as well
Isaac Carter
what Zola would you reccomend Veeky Forums? i read Therese Raquine and quite liked it.
Christopher Johnson
germinal is his big work the end of a "trilogy" if you want to read the other 2 first
Blake Morales
Répondez en français!
Anthony Rogers
Ce n'est pas possible, mon vieux! Je suis A1
Robert Allen
...
Julian Lewis
This fucking guy. Rabelais has such a unique exuberance, it's insane.
Aiden Foster
I love it, thanks. Care to spoonfeed me? My smartphone cant handle my googlefu
Jaxon Garcia
If you're motivated, try reading the entire Rougon-Macquart series.
