Our Reading Journey

In the Winter of 2021, we tackled the dizzying metaphysical thought experiment that is L’Anomalie. The narrative centers on a single, impossible event: a Boeing 787 from Paris to New York that lands twice, three months apart, with the exact same passengers. Our discussion focused on the polyphonic structure, where Le Tellier juggles a sprawling cast—from a contract killer to a struggling writer—as they are forced into a confrontation with the double.

We analyzed how the novel uses the tropes of a Netflix thriller to smuggle in profound questions about the Simulation Hypothesis: if our reality is merely a program, how do we find meaning in a glitch? The intellectual highlight was the novel’s stylistic acrobatics. We explored how Le Tellier seamlessly shifts genres—from the cold precision of a spy novel to the intimacy of a psychological drama—all while maintaining a caustic and jubilant humor. We debated the anomalie as a distortion of space-time that strips away our illusions of uniqueness. For our members, the most haunting takeaway was the realization that our identities are perhaps more fragile than we dare to believe. It was a facetious and inventive exploration of the borders of reality, leaving us all with a lingering sense of ontological vertigo.

About the Author

Hervé Le Tellier (b. 1957) is a mathematician, journalist, and the current president of the Oulipo (Ouvroir de littérature potentielle), the legendary international group of writers and mathematicians. His work is defined by "constrained writing" and a deep playfulness with literary form. With L’Anomalie, Le Tellier achieved a rare double feat: winning the Prix Goncourt in 2020 and becoming a massive global bestseller. He is celebrated for his ability to bridge the gap between "high literature" and popular culture, proving that a book can be both a complex puzzle and an exhilarating page-turner.