Help me restore brain cells killed during my college years.

December 24, 2005 11:36 AM

FrenchYoungAdultFictionFilter: back in the early 1980's, I bought a contemporary novel at Brentano about a young French girl-woman. It was a paperback.

I don't remember the title or the author. I do remember that the protagonist was an older teen (17?) named Anne, and she lived in a suburb of Paris with her family. I seem to recall that she had an affair with an older man. Much ennui ensued.

If I'm not mistaken, the author was a Frenchwoman and the book was originally written in French but translated to English. And I also recall - with some uncertainty - that this was one of a series and that they were bestsellers in France.

Title and author, anyone? I knew this at one time but the information must have resided in the brain-cell clusters I killed in college. I've been trying to remember this off-and-on for years. I tried Amazon's A-9 site; no luck there.

posted by younggreenanne to writing & language (6 comments total)

Might it be Annie Ernaux, one of her works was Simple Passion?
posted by rhymesinister at 11:55 AM on December 24, 2005

If you live in Canada (and even if you don't), try Archambeault or Renaud-Bray both of these French-Canadian bookstores feature extensive young adult novels in French
posted by seawallrunner at 12:20 PM on December 24, 2005

I should clarify: I read the English translation of the original French novel.

It wasn't Annie Erneaux... though once I found a synopsis, I ordered the book. Thanks for the tip!
posted by younggreenanne at 12:53 PM on December 24, 2005

This description has some similarities with Francoise Sagan's Bonjour Tristesse, although Anne was another main character, not the 17yo protagonist, who is called Cecile. Although I read this book 20 years ago, I can't remember if the law student with whom Cecile is involved would qualify as an "older man".

But you're not being overwhelmed with answers, so I thought I'd throw this book into the pot.
posted by Pigpen at 10:04 PM on December 24, 2005

Nope - I've read Bonjour Tristesse. Thank you, Pigpen.
posted by younggreenanne at 6:54 AM on December 25, 2005

You might try posting it on the BookSleuth forum at abebooks.com. I've had really good luck there.
posted by lisaj32 at 8:58 PM on January 13, 2006