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Hello TL! Well, I'm not sure if anybody here is fluent in french, or speaks french or whatever, but I figure this might be a decent place to ask...
I'm basically finished with school, done with my language requirements, but I want to continue to improve my French. I can speak it, but not fluently. I can read, but not fluently...
So I've asked around a little and people say that the best way to improve and retain language skills aside from being immersed in a place that speaks the language is to read, write, and listen to it spoken. I've got French movies and stuff, and I speak French to a few of my friends online... but I'm looking for some good books to read in French.
My question to TL is, what are some good French authors that I should read? I'm not looking for pure philosophy (like, no Proust for example), philosophy is difficult enough to read in English and I think trying to read it in French would make my head explode.
I know of Camus and Sartre right now, but I'd kinda like to go in a different direction and try something new, since I've already read almost all of their stuff (in English though). So, any advice? I'm going to need some reading material while I'm in Washington D.C ! Thanks!
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motbob
United States12546 Posts
Read Harry Potter in French.
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Arsene Lupin by Maurice Leblanc
Les trois mousquetaires by Alexandre Dumas
This is not high litterature but they are quite fun to read and shouldn't be too difficult.
Once you are confident enough you can try the great French authors:
Victor Hugo, Emile Zola...
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David Calvo, Jean Marc Agrati, Thomas Day
+ Show Spoiler +And this : ... guess who's on the cover :p
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problem is that written french is quite different from spoken french, and not just because of the passé simple. you'd have to read something modern like Bridget Jones' Diary. Sartre or Camus won't help you improve you spoken french, at least much less than something more recent.
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why don't I read the op before posting ? 
You should try Dumas.
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If you like fantasy I recommend Pierre Grimbert's series "Le secret de Ji" (two books) and its sequel "Les enfants de Ji". Great read.
Dumas is a great read also : "Les 3 mousquetaires" or "Le compte de Monte Cristo"
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Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmont Rostand
This is one of my favourite french book evar.
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If you like thrillers, you can try "les Rivières pourpres" or "Le Vol des cigognes" by Jean-Christophe Grangé
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On September 04 2009 17:06 motbob wrote:
Read Harry Potter in French.
Warning : almost every name are different from the english version.
I recommand :
Candide by Voltaire and Bel Ami by Guy de Maupassant. Great french authors, funny, not that hard to read.
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or "Le compte de Monte Cristo"
lol quel bel exemple pour quelqu'un qui veut améliorer son français :D.
(compte --> conte, compte = account).
Well I don't know what to advise you immediatly, classics are already quoted xd. I liked almost all Danniel Pennac's books. They are relatively easy to read, and especially pleasing.
There is many different book from him : list on wiki.
That's it! I have to go, mb I'll back later to advise you other writers (Sorry for my basic english :>)
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On September 04 2009 21:07 Glioburd wrote:lol quel bel exemple pour quelqu'un qui veut améliorer son français :D. (compte --> conte, compte = account). Well I don't know what to advise you immediatly, classics are already quoted xd. I liked almost all Danniel Pennac's books. They are relatively easy to read, and especially pleasing. There is many different book from him : list on wiki. That's it! I have to go, mb I'll back later to advise you other writers (Sorry for my basic english :>)
Haha no the right word is "comte" !..
A french book that I love is "Belle du Seigneur" by Albert Cohen.
Another recommandation, long but fascinating: "Les Rois Maudits"
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Head of this french webcomic?
MALIKI
It's been running since around 2004 and it's cute and goofy
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If you want to improve your spoken French, read plays rather than novels. If you're going to insist on novels, read Cyrano de Bergerac, le Petit Prince by Saint-Exupery, Hugo's works (i.e. Les Miserables) in is original French, and maybe stuff by Zola or Voltaire.
For something 20th century, read Georges Perec. "La vie mode d'emploi" is great, and "La disparition" is notably amazing because it's written entirely without using the letter "e".
If you do opt for plays, a lot of Absurdist drama was written in French, so it'd be stuff vaguely along the lines of Camus (whose play, Le Malentendu, is worth a read) and Sartre, whose short stories I preferred over his plays ("Le Mur" is a decent one, if bleak, as befits Sartre.) Beckett's Waiting for Godot was originally written in French, and Ionesco's works were either written in French or translated excellently. (La Lecon being my favorite, followed by Les Chaises and La Cantatrice Chauve).
My knowledge of French Theatre otherwise is basically 17th or so century stuff. Moliere, Racine, Corneille. Not the most modern french, but Moliere is wicked hilarious and Corneille's "Le Cid" is a great play. Racine I have mixed thoughts on.
If you decide to try out poetry, Rimbaud, Mallarme and Baudelaire are great.
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Belgium9950 Posts
Camus, definately.
Alternatively, if your level of french is still on the lower end, Le Petit Prince is a real classic.
I enjoyed Voltaire too. Language-wise it's not too hard, and it's a very satisfying read.
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On September 04 2009 21:34 JohnnyCash wrote:
or "Le compte de Monte Cristo"
lol quel bel exemple pour quelqu'un qui veut améliorer son français :D.
lol.
This thread makes me a bit sad because i realize that most of the books i have really enjoyed weren't written by French authors. But i will give you some advices even if you can always try to find a book in French but written by an American or a Russian author for example.
I would recommand you l'étranger by Camus but i guess you have already read it.
So two picks:
Claude Gueux by Victor Hugo ( a really short novel about death penalty ) quite interesting to read and not too hard.
Les conquérants by André Malraux. I guess this one will be harder to read but it is still interesting. It is about China ( in the early 20th when Western powers had control of some cities ).
The count of Monte Cristo is also a great classic.
You might also want to try some Zola because he wrote some great descriptions of France ( in the 19th ) but his books are long and it will be a bit harder to read.
Oh and i would also recommand a lot of things by Maupassant because he is really interesting writer ( with a really terrible personnal history ). He was one the first authors to write "fantastic" novels but he could also write more conventionnal stuff. His style is beautiful and most of his work are short novels ( hence easier to read ).
You could try Boule de Suif or le Horla ( you will find more novels in his compilations anyway )
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I"ve already read le petit prince and voltaire (candide), we had to read them in school.
thanks for the tips though - i hadn't considered Dumas in French but that's a good idea.
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Dumas - I really liked the Count of Monte Cristo when I read it. But then again, maybe that sort of book only appeals to fifteen-year-olds. Or real men. "Yeah, let's fuck up all the bitches who mess with me, then go fuck my hot Grecian (?) slave girl."
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reading 99Francs by Frédéric Beigbeder is a must, although even for me sometimes the early 2000's french slang gets annoying. calls for dictionnary if you're not fluent.
regardless, it's the best cynical french book ever
also, Marcel Pagnol.
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les miserables unless youve already read it in english
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Maupassant is the best choice IMO.
It's an easy author to read yet immersive and powerful and his short stories are masterpieces, which is the best thing to read when you're not fluent in a language.
Dumas is not a great author so I don't recommend it. Also 17th, 18th century authors and poetry might be too hard to begin with.
you'd have to read something modern like Bridget Jones' Diary. Sartre or Camus won't help you improve you spoken french, at least much less than something more recent.
I facepalmed reading this...
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Michel Houellebecq is a contemporary writer who should be pretty easy to read and entertaining, although I only read translations myself.
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Btw if you want to improve your understanding i think watching movies in French should be better.
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I have some French movies too =D
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Michel Houellebecq is a contemporary writer who should be pretty easy to read and entertaining, although I only read translations myself.
Yes but he's a bad writer...
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