MyFrenchLife™ French Book Club – UPDATE BOOK #4 – Small Country by Gaël Faye
Book Club Update – time to buy Book #4 – Small Country
Dear readers and members of MyFrenchLife™ bookclub – recently translated French best-sellers. As the year is fast heading toward its end, it’s time to buy the penultimate (number 4 of our list of top 5) of recently-translated French novels.
‘Small Country’ by Gaël Faye, was translated by Sarah Ardizzone and was published in English in June 2018.
- As a matter of fact, the title is a word-for-word translation of its French original: ‘Petit Pays’.
- This book was awarded in 2016 the French literary prize ‘Goncourt des Lycéens’ and was a huge success in France.
- With a very genuine and talented voice, this book tells the probable story of its author (born to a Rwandan mother and a French father), from his then 11-year-old standpoint.
- The author lived in the neighboring country of Burundi at the time of the Rwandan genocide of April – July 1994.
Being bold – a vignette
Now, I can’t possibly skip my own little story concerning Gaël Faye.
Last June, I was returning to Paris from a trip to North America, and I was boarding at Montreal airport when I found myself standing next to Gaël Faye in the queue.
A 15-year-old unexpectedly seeing Justin Bieber in person would not have been more excited or impressed!
In less than five minutes, there was nothing that Gaël Faye could possibly not know about the MyFrenchLife™ book club!
He had a very sweet smile and was completely approachable.
Above all, one of the perks of being ‘older’ (there may not be many) is that you’re excused for being bold!
En voici la preuve… here is the picture of Gaël Faye (in my company) at the Montreal boarding gate heading to Paris. He had been in Montreal, but not as a writer, as a rapper for the francofolies Montreal fest!
Have you read Small Country yet? Here is your chance to GET INVOLVED.
Please share your thoughts and comments on the MyFrenchLife™ Facebook Community Group or in our Goodreads group Goodreads
Image credits:
© Jacqueline Dubois Pasquier
About the Contributor
Jacqueline Dubois Pasquier
