Once upon a time I had an infrequent feature called Bestsellers Around the World where I would take a look at the bestsellers from a country and see what caught my interest, particularly when I compared it to Australian lists. These days it is even more infrequent as it is something that I save for Paris in July! So, here is this week's bestsellers in France, based on the list from Sens Critique for the week from July 6 to 12.
1 Le Diner (The Dinner Party): A Pick Your Poison Adventure by Freida McFadden
2 La Prof (The Professor) by Freida McFadden
3 Les heures fragiles (Fragile Hours) by Virginie Grimaldi
4 Tata by Valerie Perrin
5 Un lieu a soi (A room of One's Own) by Virginia Woolf
6 Tout le monde aime Clara (Everyone Loves Clara) by David Foenkinos
7 Quelqu'un d'autre (Someone Else) by Guillaume Musso
8 L'intruse (The Intruder) by Frieda McFadden
9 D'autres printemps (Other Springs) by Virginie Grimaldi
10 A Retardement (Delayed ) by Franck Thilliez
Freida McFadden has really dominated the bestsellers lists over the last couple of years when I have done these posts. I was surprised to see that the number one was a short story though, and it is not one I remember hearing about but that maybe because I don't really read her genre. I did recently read one of her books and I liked it. Just not rushing out to read another one really.
I was surprised when Virginie Grimaldi wasn't on the list last year but she is back with two novels in the top ten this year! I read one of her books a couple of years ago and really liked it. I am tempted to read more, but there are none available in my library system (which isn't really that surprising) and some of her translated novels are more than $30 on Kindle which is too much!
I own Tata and was hoping to get it read for Paris in July this year but I am rapidly running out of time. I did read Like Water for Flowers for last years Paris in July and really liked it. I think I now have three of her novels waiting for me!
I thought it was interesting to see Virginia Woolf on the list. Seeing it makes me wonder about what has bought it back into the spotlight in France
Franck Thilliez has appeared on a lot of the lists over the years. Delayed was on the list last year so this book has a lot of staying power!
Often when I look at the Australian list there is some crossover, even if it is for an author like Frieda McFadden, but there was none this year!
Previous French lists
I am sharing this with Sunday Salon hosted at Readerbuzz and A Good Book and a Cup of Tea hosted at Hopewell's Library.
Could it have been the new translation that brought Virginia Woolf back?
ReplyDeleteMy first thought was so much McFadden (I never read one of her books)!
I think the new translation probably has something to do with it Cat!
DeleteVery interesting about Virginia Woolf being on the list. Many of these titles are intriguing…
ReplyDeleteI thought that was interesting too Olivia!
DeleteI've not read Virginie Grimaldi and if you could recommend a title that would be great.
ReplyDeleteI love Valerie Perrin books and I also have Tata. Will start it in August for Women in Translation month. I also liked Fresh Water for Flowers as well as Three (Trois). I'm always eager for the translation book to publish on English!
The only Grimaldi I have read is Chasing the Stars which I liked to my review of in the post! I liked it!
DeleteGreat books and I definitely have read a lot of McFadden. i’ll be sure to check out the list this year
ReplyDeleteWhat's your favourite McFadden Trin Carl?
DeleteI already have a long list of TBR, but always keen for real life recommendations. Seeing your thoughts on McFadden, I think I'll try and find one. Probably not this PiJ, but in the next few months. Thanks for this little summary.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Tamara!
DeleteI've considered reading books by Virginie Grimaldi and Valerie Perrin for Paris in July, but I wasn't able to get ahold of copies of them in time for the event this year. Maybe next year!
ReplyDeleteLet me know for any ebook copy you want, in French or English, I can send them to you
DeleteIndeed strange for Woolf. This new translation is actually 10 years old.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy a lot Foenkinos and Thilliez. The latter is very intense and dark at times, but always including some scientific dimension, and excellent
ReplyDelete