Books We’ve Read (So Far)
Since 2020, we’ve read across centuries and styles—from Balzac to Ernaux, Modiano to Voltaire, Lemaître, Stendhal, and many others. Each book becomes a shared inquiry into language, form, and culture. Here is a selection of past readings.
Florence Aubenas, L'Inconnu de la poste
Florence Aubenas, Le Quai de Ouistreham
Honoré de Balzac, La Cousine Bette
Honoré de Balzac, Le Père Goriot
Honoré de Balzac, Les Secrets de la Princesse de Cadignan
Emmanuel Carrère, L'Adversaire
Emmanuel Carrère, La Moustache
Louis-Ferdinand Céline, Voyage au bout de la nuit
Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, Les Liaisons dangereuses
Colette, Le Blé en herbe
Maryse Condé, Traversée de la Mangrove
Alphonse Daudet, Tartarin de Tarascon
Constance Debré, Love Me Tender
Virginie Despentes, Vernon Subutex
Alexandre Dumas, Le Comte de Monte-Cristo
Clara Dupont-Monod, S'adapter
Marguerite Duras, L'Amant
Annie Ernaux, Les Années
Annie Ernaux, La Femme gelée
Annie Ernaux, Passion simple
Annie Ernaux, La Place
Gustave Flaubert, L'Education sentimentale
Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary
Romain Gary, La Promesse de l'aube
Michel Houellebecq, La Carte et le territoire
Michel Houellebecq, Extension du domaine de la lutte
Maylis de Kerangal, Corniche Kennedy
Joseph Kessel, Les Mains du miracle
Pierre Lemaître, Au revoir là-haut
Pierre Lemaître, Le Grand Monde
Hervé Le Tellier, L'Anomalie
Edouard Louis, En finir avec Eddy Bellegueule
Alain Mabanckou, Verre Cassé
Nicolas Mathieu, Connemara
Nicolas Mathieu, Leurs enfants après eux
Victoria Mas, Le Bal des folles
Patrick Modiano, Dans le café de la jeunesse perdue
Patrick Modiano, Dora Bruder
Patrick Modiano, Rue des boutiques obscures
Marie NDiaye, Trois femmes puissantes
Amélie Nothomb, Premier Sang
Amélie Nothomb, Stupeur et tremblements
Marcel Pagnol, La Gloire de mon père + Le Château de ma mère
Marcel Pagnol, Jean de Florette + Manon des Sources
Georges Perec, W ou le souvenir d'enfance
Marcel Proust, À la Recherche du temps perdu
Raymond Queneau, Zazie dans le métro
Pascal Quignard, Tous les matins du monde
Yasmina Reza, Heureux les heureux
Françoise Sagan, Bonjour Tristesse
Georges Simenon, L'Affaire Saint-Fiacre
Georges Simenon, Le Chien jaune
Stendhal, Le Rouge et le Noir
Jean-Philippe Toussaint, La Salle de bain
Tanguy Viel, Article 353 du code pénal
Delphine de Vigan, D'après une histoire vraie
Delphine de Vigan, Les Gratitudes
Fred Vargas, Pars vite et reviens tard
Voltaire, Candide ou l'optimisme
Émile Zola, Au Bonheur des Dames
What about the next books?
4 weeks.
Wednesdays, 6 pm – 7:30 pm (NY time) | May 6 – May 27, 2026.
6 hours of live conversation and instruction.
34 pages/week | 137 pages total.
Small cohort of 8-12 students maximum.
Intermediate (B1) and Advanced (B2) levels.
Fair warning: this is not comfortable reading, and it may be triggering.
We will read the text in pocket edition published by folio.
This book is part of a twelve week book series offered consecutively, alongside Molière’s Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme & Reza’s Le Dieu du Carnageand Echenoz’s Courir.
6 weeks.
Mondays, 6 pm – 7:30 pm (NY time) | May 18 – June 22, 2026.
9 hours of live conversation and instruction.
40 pages/week | 242 pages total.
Small cohort of 8-12 students maximum.
Advanced (B2) level.
We will read the school edition published by folio+Lycée.Since the novel is written in the 18th century, the school edition’s notes on vocabulary and historical context are genuinely helpful. Other editions and Kindle versions are available. The text is also free of right and accessible on the internet.
This book is part of a twelve week book series offered consecutively, alongside Mauvignier’s Continuer.
6 weeks.
Mondays, 6 pm – 7:30 pm (NY time) | April 6 – May 11, 2026.
9 hours of live conversation and instruction.
37 pages/week | 226 pages total.
Small cohort of 8-12 students maximum.
Advanced (B2) level.
We will read the pocket edition published by Les Editions de Minuits. Kindle versions are also possible. The book is also available in the original edition (with no image on the cover).
This book is part of a twelve week book series offered consecutively, alongside Abbé Prévost’s Manon Lescaut.