6 New French Books You Should Read
It's French literary award season, and here are the books that juries recommend adding to your growing "To Read" list — plus one overlooked title you shouldn't miss. The Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary award, grants winners a cheque for just €10, which they often frame and proudly display in their workspace. The Prix Renaudot offers no cash prize but, along with the Prix Médicis, the Femina Prize, and the Académie Française Grand Prix du Roman, all significantly boost book sales.
To keep up with your well-read friends, consider picking up these French books on your next visit to a local bookstore.
La Maison Vide (The Empty House)
Laurent Mauvignier won the Prix Goncourt with just one round of jury voting for La Maison Vide, a meticulous, fourth-wall-breaking novel exploring his family's history through heirlooms and mementoes. Spanning 750 pages and carrying a hint of a thriller, the book also won the Prix littéraire Le Monde and the Prix des libraires de Nancy-Le Point, and was nominated for the Femina Prize.
“The prize for winning the Prix Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary award, is a cheque for €10, which winners apparently tend to have framed — perhaps at greater expense than the actual prize money — and displayed proudly on the wall of their office or writing nook.”
“The Prix Renaudot, meanwhile, comes with no cash award at all. But both prizes – along with the Prix Médicis, the Femina Prize, and the Académie Française Grand Prix du Roman — all boost book sales enormously.”
These awards highlight exceptional French literature and often shape reading trends nationwide.
Author’s Summary: French literary prizes, though modest in cash, significantly influence book sales and spotlight remarkable new works worth adding to your reading list.