The best books by Annie Ernaux

Reading the literary greats is a good way to enjoy your leisure time, and Annie Ernaux is the best of the best. This Nobel Prize winner will help you appreciate books even more.

Here we’ll list some of this world-renowned French writer’s most notable works and why they’ve sparked an interest in readers across the globe.

Who is Annie Ernaux?

French writer Annie Ernaux was born in 1940 in Normandy, France. She later moved with her parents to Yvetot. There, Annie attended a private secondary Catholic school. In 1958, when she turned 18, Annie left her home and went to a summer camp, where she took care of children.

When she came back to Normandy in 1967, her father became very ill and died shortly afterward. Annie published her first-ever book, called Cleaned Out, in 1974. This was an autobiographical tale about an illegal abortion she had in 1964.

Eventually, she accepted a job at CNED, the Center for Distance Education. Annie won a literary prize, Prix Renaudot, and the hearts of readers across France for A Man’s Place, which was published in 1983.

Ernaux’s most note-worthy accomplishment is winning the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2012. The mesmerizing way she examines the collective restraints of personal memory made her a worthy recipient.

Annie Ernaux’s best books

Here are some of the best works of laureate Annie Ernaux.

The Years

The Years is Annie’s personal reflections on the time between 1940 to 2006.

Through the lens of memory, Ernaux walks us through each year of her life without ever using the “I” pronoun. Themes of the time, slogans, and local dialects are all included in this book. A fearless project, it follows one woman caught between two generations.

The Years was shortlisted for International Booker Prize in 2019 and also won the Warwick Prize for Women in Translation.

A Man’s Place

La Place, or A Man’s Place in English, brought Annie the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2022. This masterpiece shines a light on her father. Ernaux talks about how he turned into a man who shows almost no affection to his family.

This remarkable piece talks about the division between the working class and lower-middle classes and how she observes a changing world while her father grows old.

This is an ode to her father, a man who believed that hard work, self-denial, and careful speech would open the door to a higher class.

Getting Lost

Getting Lost is this French author’s diary entry that covers 1988 to 1990. In this book, Annie describes a blossoming love affair in Paris that she experienced with a Soviet soldier at the time. Annie points out that this isn’t a love story but a book about a woman’s desire.

Simple Passion

Simple Passion is yet another love affair story. This autobiographical tale depicts a passionate affair that will consume the protagonist for years. The book deeply explores how love can create a vortex of all our life events.

The aim of this book is not to judge but to explore the sensations of love. The translator, Tanya Leslie, does an excellent job of capturing the exact meaning of words that express major emotions and feelings.

A Girl’s Story

A Girl’s Story recalls the summer of 1958 when Annie worked at a camp in Normandy. She tells the story of the first night she spent with a man. Annie touches on the delicate topics of shame and desire.

She looks back on her late teen years and examines her younger self.

A Woman’s Story

Following her mother’s death, Annie takes the reader back in time as she tries to capture and explore the mother-daughter bond. She talks about separation and the inevitable truth that we must lose the ones we love in this life.

In this touching piece, Annie tries her best to do her mother justice and portray her as an individual.

I Remain in Darkness

In I Remain in Darkness, Annie desperately tries to help her mother as she deals with Alzheimer’s. She also explains the mental and physical decline that her mother went through as she battled this illness.

The book covers everything, from familial love to the gradual loss of identity.

Happening

At 23, Annie realizes that she is pregnant. It’s 1963, and all she feels is shame. In this frank and revealing book, Ernaux talks about her experiences during this time of her life, how she knew she couldn’t keep the child and the trauma that she could never overcome. Happening (L’événement) is one of the author’s most powerful works.

A Frozen Woman

A Frozen Woman is Annie’s teenage awakening, the conflict that she battled inside, her desire for a fulfilling career, and a need to be seen and wanted. This is a story about women being frozen by the requirements and obligations of a mother.

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FAQ

Does Annie Ernaux have a child?

Yes, Annie and Philippe Ernaux have two sons.

What is the focus of Annie Ernaux’s work?

Annie focuses on different topics in her works. The memoirist tackles themes of time and memory, intimate relationships, class changes, the body, sexuality, and more.

What is Annie Ernaux’s nationality?

Annie was born in Normandy, France. She is a French writer, professor, and Noble Prize winner.

What is the name of Ernaux’s first book?

The name of Eranux’s first book Cleaned Out is about a young woman who had an illegal abortion. The book was published in 1974.

What is the name of the book that is dedicated to her daughter?

Annie Ernaux’s book called A Woman’s Story touches on the delicate topic of mothers and daughters, age and youth, and dreams and reality.