Weekly Literary Recommendations Feature Two New Novels

On Monday, March 30, Anne-Marie Revol presented her weekly literary recommendations. The first highlighted work is 'Je suis Romane Monnier' by Delphine de Vigan, published by Gallimard. This novel explores themes of digital surveillance and identity, inspired by an incident where the author's son accidentally swapped phones a decade ago. The story follows Thomas, a single man in his forties who manages a small shop, as he acquires the phone of Romane Monnier. Through digital fragments like photos and voice notes, he reconstructs her life, discovering her efforts to erase both her digital and real presence. Their intertwined destinies turn an ordinary investigation into an existential quest, reflecting on contemporary issues. The second recommendation is 'Le Voleur de cahiers' by Gianni Solla, translated by Lise Caillat and published by Albin Michel. Set in 1942 in the Campania village of Tora e Piccilli, Italy, it centers on Davide, a pig herder with a physical disability who faces ridicule. He secretly learns to read and write with his friend Teresa. When Jewish individuals, including the charismatic Nicolas, arrive under Mussolini's orders to replace men at war, they form a friendship that opens new perspectives. The novel, inspired by real events, portrays the power of knowledge as a tool for emancipation, following the three characters into adulthood with a melancholic and delicate narrative. Both books were discussed as part of a regular literary segment.