Best French Literature

Best books written by French Authors

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1	The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 4.32 avg rating — 1,938,929 ratings score: 49,071, and 501 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	Les Misérables by Victor Hugo 4.20 avg rating — 772,044 ratings score: 37,317, and 380 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	The Stranger by Albert Camus 4.01 avg rating — 971,344 ratings score: 35,675, and 366 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 4.29 avg rating — 871,685 ratings score: 30,588, and 314 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert 3.70 avg rating — 314,345 ratings score: 24,783, and 256 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Candide by Voltaire 3.76 avg rating — 262,734 ratings score: 19,037, and 199 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	The Three Musketeers (The D'Artagnan Romances, #1) by Alexandre Dumas 4.09 avg rating — 312,244 ratings score: 17,994, and 188 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	The Plague by Albert Camus 4.02 avg rating — 239,714 ratings score: 16,757, and 177 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	The Hunchback of Notre-Dame by Victor Hugo 4.01 avg rating — 193,454 ratings score: 16,588, and 175 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Les Fleurs du Mal by Charles Baudelaire 4.21 avg rating — 66,640 ratings score: 14,131, and 149 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Red and the Black by Stendhal 3.87 avg rating — 70,878 ratings score: 13,485, and 143 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Les Liaisons dangereuses by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos 4.06 avg rating — 50,888 ratings score: 13,184, and 140 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux 3.96 avg rating — 229,552 ratings score: 11,536, and 122 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust 4.14 avg rating — 56,841 ratings score: 11,122, and 117 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac 3.85 avg rating — 55,888 ratings score: 10,174, and 110 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (Captain Nemo, #2) by Jules Verne 3.89 avg rating — 241,311 ratings score: 9,712, and 104 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Germinal by Émile Zola 4.18 avg rating — 35,568 ratings score: 9,296, and 100 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne 3.94 avg rating — 233,125 ratings score: 8,361, and 91 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Bel-Ami by Guy de Maupassant 3.85 avg rating — 38,939 ratings score: 8,283, and 91 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Nausea by Jean-Paul Sartre 3.93 avg rating — 109,830 ratings score: 8,276, and 90 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	The Fall by Albert Camus 4.04 avg rating — 94,863 ratings score: 7,920, and 86 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand 4.06 avg rating — 81,829 ratings score: 7,717, and 85 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Journey to the End of the Night by Louis-Ferdinand Céline 4.20 avg rating — 39,319 ratings score: 6,741, and 72 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	L'Écume des jours by Boris Vian 3.94 avg rating — 34,772 ratings score: 5,901, and 63 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir 4.16 avg rating — 39,082 ratings score: 5,561, and 61 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	Illuminations by Arthur Rimbaud 4.34 avg rating — 12,245 ratings score: 5,465, and 60 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne 3.86 avg rating — 187,686 ratings score: 5,335, and 60 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery 3.79 avg rating — 176,523 ratings score: 5,231, and 56 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas fils 4.03 avg rating — 46,989 ratings score: 5,146, and 57 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays by Albert Camus 4.22 avg rating — 52,452 ratings score: 4,975, and 55 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	Nana by Émile Zola 3.84 avg rating — 23,778 ratings score: 4,755, and 54 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	The Misanthrope by Molière 3.77 avg rating — 22,185 ratings score: 4,688, and 53 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust 4.35 avg rating — 11,866 ratings score: 4,619, and 50 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	The Lover by Marguerite Duras 3.73 avg rating — 50,285 ratings score: 4,162, and 46 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	Bonjour tristesse by Françoise Sagan 3.70 avg rating — 44,094 ratings score: 4,139, and 47 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Sentimental Education by Gustave Flaubert 3.81 avg rating — 21,133 ratings score: 4,117, and 47 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar 4.23 avg rating — 26,731 ratings score: 4,106, and 47 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal 3.80 avg rating — 17,329 ratings score: 4,045, and 47 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	L'Assommoir by Émile Zola 4.08 avg rating — 15,721 ratings score: 3,995, and 45 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Gargantua and Pantagruel by François Rabelais 3.67 avg rating — 14,852 ratings score: 3,841, and 43 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
41	Eugénie Grandet by Honoré de Balzac 3.79 avg rating — 21,906 ratings score: 3,812, and 45 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
42	Tartuffe by Molière 3.66 avg rating — 37,560 ratings score: 3,804, and 45 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	The Man in the Iron Mask (The D'Artagnan Romances, #3.4) by Alexandre Dumas 3.99 avg rating — 64,690 ratings score: 3,743, and 42 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	The Counterfeiters by André Gide 3.84 avg rating — 9,013 ratings score: 3,718, and 42 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	The Complete Essays by Michel de Montaigne 4.24 avg rating — 13,422 ratings score: 3,696, and 41 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	The Ladies' Paradise by Émile Zola 3.99 avg rating — 16,010 ratings score: 3,680, and 42 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Suite Française by Irène Némirovsky 3.85 avg rating — 72,172 ratings score: 3,597, and 40 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett 3.84 avg rating — 191,572 ratings score: 3,264, and 40 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
49	Le Grand Meaulnes by Alain-Fournier 3.72 avg rating — 12,472 ratings score: 3,227, and 37 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola 3.73 avg rating — 29,924 ratings score: 3,108, and 37 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	Papillon by Henri Charrière 4.23 avg rating — 67,030 ratings score: 3,033, and 36 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	Twenty Years After (The d'Artagnan Romances, #2) by Alexandre Dumas 4.07 avg rating — 23,080 ratings score: 2,982, and 34 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	The Elementary Particles by Michel Houellebecq 3.80 avg rating — 40,814 ratings score: 2,975, and 34 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	Une vie by Guy de Maupassant 3.85 avg rating — 12,576 ratings score: 2,970, and 36 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Don Juan by Molière 3.58 avg rating — 13,599 ratings score: 2,957, and 35 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	Rhinoceros / The Chairs / The Lesson by Eugène Ionesco 4.02 avg rating — 5,784 ratings score: 2,937, and 33 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	Antigone by Jean Anouilh 3.78 avg rating — 24,789 ratings score: 2,933, and 34 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	Le Petit Nicolas by René Goscinny 4.14 avg rating — 38,477 ratings score: 2,660, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	No Exit and Three Other Plays by Jean-Paul Sartre 4.08 avg rating — 28,868 ratings score: 2,482, and 28 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	Jean de Florette & Manon of the Springs by Marcel Pagnol 4.33 avg rating — 1,301 ratings score: 2,460, and 28 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	Lost Illusions by Honoré de Balzac 4.16 avg rating — 10,519 ratings score: 2,375, and 30 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	La Gloire de mon père by Marcel Pagnol really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 8,869 ratings score: 2,368, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	Le Malade imaginaire by Molière 3.65 avg rating — 14,137 ratings score: 2,365, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	La Bête humaine by Émile Zola 4.05 avg rating — 10,787 ratings score: 2,348, and 29 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	The Mysterious Island (Captain Nemo, #3) by Jules Verne 4.12 avg rating — 51,625 ratings score: 2,343, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	The Man Who Laughs by Victor Hugo 4.23 avg rating — 12,814 ratings score: 2,339, and 28 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	Life: A User's Manual by Georges Perec 4.19 avg rating — 8,516 ratings score: 2,321, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
68	Exercises in Style by Raymond Queneau 4.06 avg rating — 10,854 ratings score: 2,311, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
69	Perrault's Fairy Tales by Charles Perrault 4.11 avg rating — 13,959 ratings score: 2,222, and 25 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
70	L'avare by Molière 3.61 avg rating — 26,436 ratings score: 2,163, and 27 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	Jacques the Fatalist by Denis Diderot 3.81 avg rating — 8,357 ratings score: 2,161, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
72	The Social Contract by Jean-Jacques Rousseau 3.78 avg rating — 46,587 ratings score: 2,079, and 25 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
73	Cousin Bette by Honoré de Balzac 3.85 avg rating — 9,601 ratings score: 2,066, and 26 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
74	Selected Short Stories by Guy de Maupassant 4.15 avg rating — 3,123 ratings score: 2,050, and 25 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
75	Nadja by André Breton 3.57 avg rating — 10,338 ratings score: 1,875, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
76	Complete Works by Arthur Rimbaud 4.41 avg rating — 9,698 ratings score: 1,858, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
77	Manon Lescaut by Antoine François Prévost d'Exiles 3.45 avg rating — 11,883 ratings score: 1,814, and 24 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
78	Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau 3.59 avg rating — 8,708 ratings score: 1,810, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
79	La Symphonie pastorale by André Gide 3.63 avg rating — 5,935 ratings score: 1,806, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	The Immoralist by André Gide 3.57 avg rating — 11,388 ratings score: 1,773, and 23 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
81	Against Nature by Joris-Karl Huysmans 3.82 avg rating — 12,771 ratings score: 1,746, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
82	Les Rois maudits by Maurice Druon 4.53 avg rating — 2,411 ratings score: 1,700, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	The Princesse de Clèves by Madame de La Fayette 3.35 avg rating — 15,001 ratings score: 1,695, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
84	Le Silence de la mer by Vercors 3.88 avg rating — 4,733 ratings score: 1,669, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	Wind, Sand and Stars by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry 4.13 avg rating — 17,332 ratings score: 1,641, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
86	Pensées by Blaise Pascal 3.95 avg rating — 12,927 ratings score: 1,636, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
87	Phèdre by Jean Racine 3.70 avg rating — 20,189 ratings score: 1,616, and 21 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
88	Boule de Suif (21 contes) by Guy de Maupassant 3.78 avg rating — 7,803 ratings score: 1,597, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
89	Zazie in the Metro by Raymond Queneau 3.68 avg rating — 7,949 ratings score: 1,572, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
90	The Romance of Tristan and Iseult by Joseph Bédier 3.53 avg rating — 11,869 ratings score: 1,561, and 20 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
91	De Fabels van La Fontaine by Jean de La Fontaine 4.03 avg rating — 14,356 ratings score: 1,559, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
92	The Misanthrope, Tartuffe, and Other Plays by Molière 3.96 avg rating — 1,195 ratings score: 1,541, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
93	The Nun by Denis Diderot 3.73 avg rating — 6,994 ratings score: 1,523, and 22 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
94	No Exit by Jean-Paul Sarte 4.12 avg rating — 36,462 ratings score: 1,463, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	Persian Letters by Montesquieu 3.66 avg rating — 6,962 ratings score: 1,422, and 18 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
96	The Earth by Émile Zola 4.10 avg rating — 2,039 ratings score: 1,414, and 19 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
97	La Curée by Émile Zola 3.86 avg rating — 4,908 ratings score: 1,334, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	Rhinocéros by Eugène Ionesco 3.84 avg rating — 15,133 ratings score: 1,292, and 15 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
99	L'École des Femmes by Molière 3.63 avg rating — 8,146 ratings score: 1,286, and 17 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
100	Bouvard and Pecuchet by Gustave Flaubert 3.84 avg rating — 3,936 ratings score: 1,242, and 16 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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844 books · 1,508 voters · list created June 25th, 2008 by M (votes) .

Tags: author-by-country, france, french

883 likes · Like

Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.

People Who Voted On This List (1508)

Suvi 1743 books
433 friends

Ashley 1391 books
44 friends

Jennifer 3688 books
50 friends

Robert 1792 books
27 friends

Bridgett 433 books
1 friend

Carl 753 books
34 friends

Meghan 1766 books
191 friends

Fred 773 books
59 friends

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Comments Showing 1-50 of 50 (50 new)

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message 1: by Bettie (new)

Jul 09, 2009 11:01AM

erm - isn't Samuel Beckett Irish?

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message 2: by Richard (last edited Oct 29, 2011 09:38PM) (new)

Oct 29, 2011 09:37PM

Bettie wrote: "erm - isn't Samuel Beckett Irish?"

Yes, but he wrote many works originally in French. He then translated all except Molloy into English by himself. He worked on the translation of Molloy as well, but with a collaborator.

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message 3: by Bettie (new)

Oct 30, 2011 02:15AM

Richard wrote: "Bettie wrote: "erm - isn't Samuel Beckett Irish?"

Yes, but he wrote many works originally in French. He then translated all except Molloy into English by himself. He worked on the translation ..."

Thanks Richard; wait 'til THAT comes up in a pub quiz and I'll be in the money.
:O)

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message 4: by Richard (new)

Oct 30, 2011 07:57AM

Well, if you win, think of me when you're enjoying a celebratory beverage. :-)

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message 5: by Carlo (new)

Nov 01, 2011 11:55PM

Some major omissions: Emile Cioran (his French essays), Jean Giono, Isabelle Eberhardt, George Sand, Milan Kundera (his French novels), and Yasmina Reza. I would also include "Pierre et Jean" by Guy Maupassant.

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message 6: by Richard (last edited Nov 02, 2011 08:41AM) (new)

Nov 02, 2011 08:19AM

Carlo, You bring up a good point because this list seems to concentrate on authors from France with a few from Belgium thrown in for good measure. But if you define "French" as "originally written in the French language" there are many other places which produced literature in French. Beckett the Irishman does actually belong (slainte, Bettie!). I would add Maeterlinck (L'Oiseau bleu is famous even in English translation as The Blue Bird) and more African and Caribbean literature. How about some French Canadian authors--or have I missed them?

There are some George Sand novels in the list actually, but her name should be corrected because she wrote George the English way without the final s, as you have done.

And I have to ask, how did the Margaret Weis sneak in under the radar? Dan Brown? Sandra L. Calvert? J.K. Rowling?!?

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message 7: by Carlo (new)

Nov 03, 2011 03:53PM

Thanks Richard. I've yet to read Maeterlinck. Did Gautier or Nerval make the list? I see Crebillon hasn't. It was Crebillon who inspired Dostoyevski's "The Gambler."

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message 8: by Richard (new)

Nov 03, 2011 05:47PM

I spotted Gerard de Nerval, but not the other authors you mention. I didn't know about the Crebillon--Dostoyevski connection--that's interesting!

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message 9: by Milady (new)

Feb 07, 2012 06:46AM

Dan Brown and J. K. Rowling are on this list? I feel puzzled...

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message 10: by Caro63 (new)

Feb 13, 2012 08:52AM

L'Homme Aux Cercles Bleus
How about Fred Vargas ? I love her crime series ! Start with Pars Vite et Reviens tard and you'll be hooked

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message 11: by Fiona (new)

Mar 06, 2012 04:03AM

So nice to see this list! Many I shldlve read but haven't so, much to look forward to! And someone pls take j k Rowling off!

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message 12: by Esther (new)

Apr 14, 2012 03:55AM

Does anyone know a french book that isn't to complicated and hard to read? I have to read a french book for school and I am at the level of, for example, le petit prince. If you have any suggestions, please leave me a message! :)

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message 13: by Christine (new)

Apr 24, 2012 02:58AM

I'm looking for a contemporary French novel I read as a girl in English. We had a bilingual edition and I forgot the title or author. I think the title either has garden or fruit in it. It's about the musings of a child about family life after the war, and his father, who was a former soldier.

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message 14: by Belforta (new)

Jun 03, 2012 12:13PM

beaucoup-beaucoup de livres manquent dans cette liste, mais je suppose qu reste très bien, il est vrai il y a beaucoup d'auteurs qui ne devraient pas originellement être dans cette liste~~~~

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message 15: by Anne Sofie (new)

Nov 10, 2012 02:24PM

This list is amazing ! i'm really looking foward to read some more french literature <3

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message 16: by Themis-Athena (Lioness at Large) (new)

Apr 11, 2013 03:39AM

I see that a number of books have crept on by authors who are neither French nationals nor do they write in French (e.g., Dan Brown). Should those books be removed?

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message 17: by Justpassingby (new)

May 30, 2013 02:07AM

The list could do with a little cleanup... Proust is there with the series *A la recherche du temps perdu* in position 36 and volume 1 of that series in position 18 (and again in position 51!). The generally accepted wisdon (see Wikipedia :-) is that the series is considered as a single novel, so the first volume should go. Rimbaud is in position 75 with his complete works, which does not rhyme with his individual entries on 32 and 69. Molière's misanthrope is repeated, as well.

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message 18: by Jain (new)

Jun 23, 2013 01:42PM

Removed for not being French literature: Catching Fire and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

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message 19: by Jain (new)

Jun 23, 2013 01:51PM

Justpassingby wrote: "The list could do with a little cleanup..."

Goodreads librarians are constrained to only remove works that are in violation of a list, and none of the examples you pointed out is contrary to either the list's title or its description. Unless the list creator includes rules in the description such as "Don't vote for multiple books in a series if a combined/collected work exists," or "Don't vote for drama collections; only vote for individual plays," then unfortunately you have to expect a certain amount of redundancy to creep onto a list like this one.

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message 20: by Richard (new)

Jun 24, 2013 08:51AM

Garance wrote: "I have to say, this list is very far away from what a French person would say... I hope ! Because Guillaume Musso and Marc Levy before Zola, Hugo, Duras, Camus or Malraux this is... well, Musso and..."

Garance, thanks for teaching me a new expression. The equivalent in English is "airport novel," meaning that it is a poor quality novel but you buy it at the airport just before you get on an airplane because you know you will be bored and you want something to pass the time during your trip.

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message 21: by Laura (new)

Jul 04, 2013 10:15AM

Daphne du Maurier is not a French author!! Amin Maalouf is from Lebanon and Jorge Semprún is from Spain!!!!!!!!

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message 22: by Richard (new)

Jul 04, 2013 11:27AM

Laura wrote: "Daphne du Maurier is not a French author!! Amin Maalouf is from Lebanon and Jorge Semprún is from Spain!!!!!!!!"

Amin Maalouf's mother tongue is Arabic, but all his books were written in French. So if by "French literature" we mean books originally written in French, he would still fit. It depends how you define your terms here.

Jorge Semprún was from Spain but lived most of his life in France and wrote primarily in the French language. So he would probably fit as well.

But Du Maurier was an English author (born in London) who, as far as I can tell, wrote her books in English.

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message 23: by Laura (last edited Jul 04, 2013 12:15PM) (new)

Jul 04, 2013 12:13PM

There is a lack of consistency in your list. In my humble opinion, French literature belongs to French authors. Foreign authors who had their books translated to French is a completely different story.

According to Wiki:

French literature is, generally speaking, literature written in the French language, particularly by citizens of France; it may also refer to literature written by people living in France who speak traditional languages of France other than French. Literature written in French language, by citizens of other nations such as Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, Senegal, Algeria, Morocco, etc. is referred to as Francophone literature. As of 2006, French writers have been awarded more Nobel Prizes in Literature than novelists, poets and essayists of any other country. France itself ranks first in the list of Nobel Prizes in literature by country.

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message 24: by Laura (new)

Jul 04, 2013 12:16PM

Richard wrote: "Laura wrote: "Daphne du Maurier is not a French author!! Amin Maalouf is from Lebanon and Jorge Semprún is from Spain!!!!!!!!"

Amin Maalouf's mother tongue is Arabic, but all his books were writte..."

So, Daphne du Maurier should be removed from your list, don't you agree?

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message 25: by Richard (new)

Jul 04, 2013 12:19PM

Laura wrote: "Richard wrote: "Laura wrote: "Daphne du Maurier is not a French author!! Amin Maalouf is from Lebanon and Jorge Semprún is from Spain!!!!!!!!"

Amin Maalouf's mother tongue is Arabic, but all his b..."

I would agree, Laura, but I didn't compile the list! :)

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message 26: by Laura (new)

Jul 04, 2013 12:25PM

I know, I know but someone must fix this whole mess, don't you agree?

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message 27: by Richard (new)

Jul 04, 2013 12:28PM

Laura wrote: "I know, I know but someone must fix this whole mess, don't you agree?"

Yes, I'm with you on that one.

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message 28: by Laura (new)

Jul 04, 2013 01:25PM

Voila...

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message 29: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Dec 14, 2013 05:03AM) (new)

Dec 14, 2013 05:02AM

Crime and punishment (no. 248; 1 voter) by Fyodor Dostoyevsky is Russian, not French, and has been deleted.

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message 30: by Anita (new)

Jul 01, 2015 10:36AM

I am looking for French books that are suitable for two girls ages 13 and 14 who are fluent in French. They are native english speakers but started learning French at age 2. Any suggestions? They love stories like the Divergent series.

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message 31: by Laura (new)

Jul 01, 2015 01:49PM

Anita wrote: "I am looking for French books that are suitable for two girls ages 13 and 14 who are fluent in French. They are native english speakers but started learning French at age 2. Any suggestions? The..."

If they like historical romance, there is Marianne's series by Juliette Benzoni.

If they like adventure with some historical hints, The Three Musketeers series by Alexandre Dumas.

If they like adventure & pirates, Le bal des louves
by Mireille Calmel and Lady Pirate

I also do love Le Grande Meaulnes by Alain Fournier.

Marcel Pagnol has a lot of good book for that age.

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message 32: by Laura (new)

Jul 01, 2015 01:57PM

Anita wrote: "I am looking for French books that are suitable for two girls ages 13 and 14 who are fluent in French. They are native english speakers but started learning French at age 2. Any suggestions? The..."

And do not forget about La Guerre des Boutons by Louis Pergaud

If they like comics, Tintin and Asterix series are great ones.

Also Le Petit Prince by Saint-Execupery

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message 33: by Breanna (new)

Dec 14, 2016 04:21PM

Does anyone have any book or author suggestions for YA? I'm fluent in French, but I live in an English speaking country, so I'm not really exposed to the French culture. I've read the classic French books, but does anyone have any modern suggestions? Thanks!

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message 34: by Kasey (new)

Feb 18, 2017 08:13AM

Laura wrote: "Daphne du Maurier is not a French author!! Amin Maalouf is from Lebanon and Jorge Semprún is from Spain!!!!!!!!"

Camus is technically Algerian as well.

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message 35: by Jain (last edited Feb 18, 2017 11:19AM) (new)

Feb 18, 2017 11:17AM

Kasey wrote: "Camus is technically Algerian as well."

Algeria didn't declare independence from France until 1962; Camus lived 1913-1960. Technically, he was French.

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message 36: by Lonesome (new)

Sep 21, 2017 10:27AM

this is hardly informative for someone who wants to explore french fiction its like , collette here and balzac there and some hugo and a few ones popular now cause they were made into films ( Suite Française is one of the best french books ever and much ahead of the masterpiece sielnce of the sea , I just cant ) and
where are the writers from the 30s and 40s ?

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message 37: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Sep 21, 2017 09:00PM) (new)

Sep 21, 2017 08:53PM

Lonesome wrote: "where are the writers from the 30s and 40s?.."

How about Albert Camus, Raymond Queneau, Roger Martin du Gard? They're on this list...

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message 38: by Lonesome (new)

Oct 10, 2017 04:04PM

Booklovinglady wrote: "Lonesome wrote: "where are the writers from the 30s and 40s?.."

How about Albert Camus, Raymond Queneau, Roger Martin du Gard? They're on this list..."

and where are the rest , where are the winners of the grand prix , great writers from the era like Louis aragon and romain rolland and many many others are snubbed , the literature from between the wars is completely forgotten by the french unfortunately.
while françoise sagan and collette are all over the place .

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message 39: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Oct 11, 2017 12:33AM) (new)

Oct 11, 2017 12:14AM

Lonesome wrote: "... great writers from the era like Louis aragon and romain rolland and many many others are snubbed..."

Personally I don't think they're 'snubbed', but most people only vote for books on their own shelves, and there's no denying that Françoise Sagan and Colette are more widely read.

Albert Camus is mentioned twice in the top ten of this list, by the way, while Françoise Sagan and Colette aren't mentioned in the top ten at all.

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message 40: by Lonesome (new)

Oct 11, 2017 04:28AM

Booklovinglady wrote: "Lonesome wrote: "... great writers from the era like Louis aragon and romain rolland and many many others are snubbed..."

Personally I don't think they're 'snubbed', but most people only vote for ..."

but thats what I am saying , that people are not aware of those writers in the first place and the list shows that< Louis aragon appears at n 300 something and I dont think anybody heard of the soul enchanted series , so non french speakers have a very very limited knowledge of french fiction from the first half of the 20th century , mostly because the french themselves have totally ignored writers from that era either for political reason or lack of interest , when you look at the winners and books that won the major prizes from the 20s to the 60s , almost none is read or well known today , does this make any sense ? why no one is bringing forgotten major works back just like what is happening in english fiction ......

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message 41: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Oct 11, 2017 04:39AM) (new)

Oct 11, 2017 04:36AM

@Lonesome
I haven't got any books by Louis Aragón or Romain Rolland on my shelves, yet I've heard of them, in other words, I'm 'aware' of them... (and I'm not French/a native French speaker).

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message 42: by Ted (new)

Jul 26, 2018 09:59AM

What about French poets? Start with "Chanson de Roland, then continue with Villon, Ronsard etc.

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message 43: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (last edited Apr 26, 2019 12:14AM) (new)

Apr 25, 2019 11:37PM

Marguerite Yourcenar is Belgian, not French, and Mariama Bâ is Senegalese... The description says Best books written by French Authors. (Maybe the description should be changed, or added to, to 'books originally written in French', as this list is a mess, to be honest...)

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message 44: by Jain (new)

Apr 26, 2019 12:22AM

Booklovinglady wrote: "Marguerite Yourcenar is Belgian, not French, and Mariama Bâ is Senegalese... The description says Best books written by French Authors."

Both of those are edge cases rather than wholly incorrect inclusions. Marguerite Yourcenar was granted French citizenship in 1979 (because France wanted her as a member of the Académie Française). And Mariama Bâ was French from her birth in 1929 until 1960, when Senegal declared independence from France.

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message 45: by Justpassingby (last edited Apr 26, 2019 02:34AM) (new)

Apr 26, 2019 12:27AM

Booklovinglady wrote: "Marguerite Yourcenar is Belgian, not French, and Mariama Bâ is Senegalese... The description says Best books written by French Authors. (Maybe the description should b..."
Yes, it is, and yes, it should. There is no sound reason to build up lists of books defined by modern country boundaries; even less so if you are going to include premodern authors.

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message 46: by Justpassingby (new)

Apr 26, 2019 02:53AM

Jain wrote: "Both of those are edge cases rather than wholly incorrect inclusions. Marguerite Yourcenar was granted French citizenship in 1979 (because France wanted her as a member of the Académie Française). And Mariama Bâ was French from her birth in 1929 until 1960, when Senegal declared independence from France."

Saved by the bell, but I doubt if the same can be said of the Belgian Hergé or the anonymous author of the Arabian Nights (the latter not even a French-language original).

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message 47: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (new)

Apr 26, 2019 03:04AM

Justpassingby wrote: "Saved by the bell, but I doubt if the same can be said of the Belgian Hergé or the anonymous author of the Arabian Nights (the latter not even a French-language original)...."

😉

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message 48: by Resistance (new)

May 13, 2019 01:53PM

Cette liste déraille complètement et ceux qui commentent n'ont aucune idée de ce que c'est que d'être français, apparemment. Camus, "algérien"! Yourcenar, "belge"! Bon. Même pas la peine de seulement commencer à discuter quand c'est parti comme ça. D'ailleurs la France n'existe plus, alors à quoi bon.... Comme disait un vrai Français, Alphonse Daudet, who didn't make the list!

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message 49: by BookLovingLady (deceased Jan. 25, 2023...) (new)

May 13, 2019 11:39PM

Resistance wrote: "Alphonse Daudet, who didn't make the list!..."

I voted for this list quite a while ago, and voted for Lettres de mon moulin, which was already on the list when I voted...

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message 50: by George P. (new)

Apr 22, 2021 08:17PM

Could Promise at Dawn by Romain Gary(# 405) be switched to the English or French title? I don't think many people here can understand the Vietnamese one.

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