In this collection of seven short stories, all written in the first person, Anna Gavalda has created an ode to those who confront their vulnerabilities and admit their weaknesses. These tales illustrate the importance of moving beyond the wounds of the past and embracing love, friendship, forgiveness, and family. From the trucker who puts his dog to sleep following the death of his son to the alcoholic widow who befriends a stranger raised in a strict military family, readers will find the classic Gavaldian universe on full display in these stories of suffering and salvation.
Französische Literatur in Reclams Roter Reihe: das ist der französische Originaltext – ungekürzt und unbearbeitet mit Worterklärungen am Fuß jeder Seite, Nachwort und Literaturhinweisen. Drei Novellen, einfühlsam geschilderte Alltagsgeschichten, die Anna Gavalda auf der ganzen Höhe ihrer Erzählkunst zeigen und damit an ihren Bestseller »Je voudrais que quelqu’un m’attende quelque part« anschließen: In »Mon chien va mourir« geht es um einen Fernfahrer, der seinen Hund begraben muss, der ihm als langjähriger Begleiter auf seinen Fahrten ans Herz gewachsen war. »Happy Meal« ist eine kurze und höchst amüsante Geschichte über einen Restaurantbesuch bei MacDo – mit überraschendem Ausgang. Und »Mes points de vie« handelt von einem Bauingenieur, der wegen eines ›Fehltritts‹ seines sechsjährigen Sohnes in dessen Grundschule zitiert wird und dort ›schlichten‹ muss. Französische Lektüre: Niveau B1 – B2 (GER)
Exploring modern French life through seven short stories, this collection delves into the complexities of the human spirit. Each narrative offers a blend of raw emotion and tenderness, capturing the essence of contemporary experiences and the resilience of individuals facing life's challenges. The author, known for their international bestseller, delivers poignant reflections that resonate with readers.
Ensemble c'est tout. Molodaja talantlivaja hudozhnica Kamilla Fok zhivet v
kroshechnoj komnatke-chulane pod kryshej roskoshnogo doma s vidom na Marsovo
pole. Utonchennaja i ranimaja ona somnevaetsja v svoem prizvanii ne hochet
bol'she risovat' i rabotaet po nocham uborshhicej ofisov. Odnazhdy zimnim
vecherom bol'nuju ot holoda i goloda devushku nahodit ee sosed zastenchivyj
ochkarik Filiber. Vstrevozhennyj ee sostojaniem on ugovarivaet ee kakoe-to
vremja pozhit' vmeste s nim i ego prijatelem Frankom - krasavcem povarom
motociklistom i huliganom. Kamilla prinimaet priglashenie i tak nachinaetsja
ee novaja strannaja zhizn' i odna iz samyh trogatel'nyh i nezhnyh ljubovnyh
istorij Parizha...
Billie a 13 ans. Elle n'a connu que les coups et la misère. Un matin, en classe, elle découvre On ne badine pas avec l'amour d'Alfred de Musset et l'amitié. Sa vie va changer. Mathilde a 24 ans. Un jour, elle oublie son sac à main dans un café. Un homme le lui rend la semaine suivante et, à cause de cet homme justement, elle décide de changer de vie. Yann a 26 ans. Un soir, il rend service à son voisin de palier qui l'invite à dîner pour le remercier. Au cours de cette soirée, il réalise que sa vie n'a aucun intérêt et qu'il doit tout recommencer. Trois prénoms. Trois histoires. Trois jeunes gens d'aujourd'hui, déterminés et courageux, qui préfèrent encore se tromper de vie plutôt que de n'en vivre aucune.
This heartwarming story is about two unlikely friends who give each other the courage to do what they never thought possible. Through their trials and tribulations, they realize that they can always rely on each other to be there. Our story opens with Billie and Franck trapped in a gorge in the C vennes Mountains. As Franck lies unconscious, Billie appeals to a star for protection by telling stories from their lives. Billie vividly recollects how her friendship with Franck changed her life and struggles with the idea that-thanks to her mistake-she might lose him forever. They met a decade prior when they were assigned as acting partners in class. For the first time, Billie felt someone respected her and Franck didn't feel so alone. The blossoming of their friendship was comforting for both pitted against the harsh realities they faced. Billie is tough because she has to be: her mother left her when she was just an infant and she lives in poverty with her abusive father and stepmother. Franck is more reserved, afraid to reveal who he really is to his unemployed homophobic father for fear of being rejected. Together Billie and Franck rescue each other. These two outcasts find a home together in Anna Gavalda's moving portrayal of platonic love and how far two people are willing to go for each other. Quirky, but gritty, this charming and emotional ode is for anyone who has felt the transformative power of friendship.
Mathilde is twenty-four. She has abandoned her studies in art history in lieu of a menial job and lives in a house she shares with twin sisters. One day she forgets her bag in a caf and a week later an unknown man returns it to her. Following this encounter, Mathilde decides to throw caution to the wind and change her life entirely. Yann is twenty-six, a university graduate, unemployed. There may be better days ahead. Maybe. While waiting for them to come, he works as a sales assistant in a home appliances store. He wouldn't say he is unhappy. But sometimes, late at night, when he is crossing a bridge over the River Seine, he imagines jumping. One day he does a favor for one of his neighbors and is asked to stay for dinner as thanks. The following morning Yann throws caution to the wind and decides to change his life entirely. These two novellas by best-selling author Anna Gavalda are among her most moving and inspiring. Love in this book is a fragile emotion, easily ruined and eternally subject to the consequences of one's choices. Gavalda's great gift is the directness with which she addresses her readers in a voice that is at once inventive, forceful, and intimate. Life, Only Better is a touching, cleverly crafted book about choices and their consequences.
