Top 6 French Books to Inspire Your Next Read
Find the Perfect French Book for Beginners
'Le Petit Prince' by Saint Exupéry - A world-famous masterpiece of French storytelling
This classic, published in New York in 1943, is the most translated French book in the world . It tells the adventures of the Little Prince, which begin on his asteroid, B612, where one day a beautiful and fragile rose grows, and the Little Prince befriends it. He grows so bored on his planet that he decides to explore other, uncharted worlds.
This book highlights the importance of friendship and allows us to see the world not only with our eyes but also with our hearts. If you are learning French, we recommend this book, which is easy to understand and engaging. Written in simple French as a children's book, *Le Petit Price* is ideal for beginners or those returning to the language.
The Adventures of Tintin by Hergé
French Comics for Beginners
If you like comics, the Adventures of Tintin is THE perfect book! It tells the story of the young Belgian reporter Tintin, who travels the world investigating and reporting on his adventures. He is always accompanied by his dog Snowy.
Reading the Adventures of Tintin will make you laugh, inspire you to travel, and, most importantly, help you improve your French. Animated films are a great way for beginners to learn, especially thanks to the illustrations, which make understanding easier.
French Books for Intermediate Language Level
'L'etranger' by Albert Camus
This French book, published in 1942, tells the story of an ordinary man, Meursault. Set in Algiers, France, it follows the indifferent and detached Meursault as he attends his mother's funeral and later commits an inexplicable crime. The narrative explores Meursault's alienation from society and his apathetic outlook on life, which leads him to question the meaning of existence and the consequences of his actions. Camus delves into existential themes, absurdity, and the search for meaning in an indifferent universe.
This masterpiece of French literature is thought-provoking and offers a captivating exploration of the complexities of modern life. The book covers many different themes, such as absurdity, justice, revolt, and nature, making it highly engaging. It's a great way to improve your French skills while having fun.
'L'amour dure trois ans' by Frédéric Beigbeder
This book tells the love story of Marc Marronnier, a man from a well-to-do background who attended a prestigious Parisian high school and now works in advertising.
One day, he decides to marry Anne for love, but this quickly leads to a flood of disappointments and obligations. Soon after, he realizes that he didn't simply marry to conform to bourgeois conventions.
To combat the boredom that grips him, he begins an affair with another married woman, Alice, whom he met at his grandmother's funeral. One day, Anne finds out and asks for a divorce. The narrator is deeply moved by his wife's suffering and is ultimately broken by it. This French-language book is a good way to improve your French .
French Books for Advanced Language Learners
'Monsieur Ibrahim and the flowers of Coran' by Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt:
Moïse, an 11-year-old living in 1960s Paris, meets Monsieur Ibrahim, the local grocer. They become friends and often talk together. Thanks to him, Moïse learns to appreciate the small, mundane things in life...
This French book allows you to make rapid progress thanks to the many conversations and dialogues within. It explores values and philosophical themes such as respect, well-being, happiness, and friendship. While reading, you will not only improve your French but also learn about life.
Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
This book is a well-known work of French literature and tells the story of Emma Bovary, the wife of a young doctor. To escape the boredom, banality, and darkness of life, she maintains secret relationships with two other men and lives beyond her means.
Deeply in debt, Emma decides to end her life. This book raises questions about boredom, the limitations of one's own mind, and social oppression. If you want to improve your French and find yourself reflected in a book, we recommend this one.
Learning Tips for Learning French with a Book
French books are an extremely effective tool for improving your French. However, as with any tool, proper use is crucial for its effectiveness and usefulness.
Therefore, we'll give you some tips below to help you expand your language skills even more effectively with French books.
1. Read slowly and enjoy it
Don't rush your reading. You don't have to understand everything in your French book like a native speaker. Sometimes you might need to flip back a few pages to really follow the content.
Don't let that discourage you; instead, use it as an opportunity to review the vocabulary on those pages. Always remember, learning French isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. So read your French book at a leisurely pace and without any time pressure.
2. Make notes while reading
While reading your French book, write down vocabulary words, make notes in the margins, and highlight important grammatical examples. This will help you identify areas you found challenging when reviewing the text later.
You can also learn the vocabulary later and expand your thematically oriented vocabulary. With each French book you read, you'll become more confident in your French reading skills!
3. Pick a book that suits your current French skills
Nothing is more frustrating when learning a language than not understanding a difficult text even after reading it several times. The culprit is likely a text that's too challenging and overwhelms you.
Therefore, choose your French book according to your language level. To help you find the right book, we've divided our book list by language level. Determine your current language level with a suitable French test and then choose the French book that's right for you.
French books: Get in touch with the French language
We are sure that these French books will help you improve your French! Reading will help you stimulate your memory and visualize French words. You will encounter countless French phrases, idioms, and vocabulary, and your French will improve almost effortlessly as you read.
But you know what's even better? Go on a language trip and learn while laughing, meeting new people, and discovering new countries and cultures.
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