This second novel by the renowned French writer, Marguerite Duras, was written in 1943 when she was 29, and originally published by Gallimard in 1944 as La Vie tranquille.
“The book desperately wants to convey its message of human connectedness with all the species that share this planet. Gil walks 2,400 miles to appreciate and then deliver this message.
It’s interesting that the title of Ian McEwan’s wide-angle and engrossing family history is Lessons, because his protagonist, Roland Baines, is inclined to abandon his teachers.
“Wade’s pitch-perfect, personality-driven dialogue sings in the voice of life, and his ability to meld existential thought, situational metaphor, and cinematic setting is a full-bodied expe
“Brilliantly conceived. . . . There are court intrigues, whispered rumors, a clever subplot about the power of painting, what it reveals as well as what it hides . . .
“Early 20th century writing, especially translated from one language to another, can be challenging to read, but Nèmirovsky’s story and Smith’s translation make Master of Souls
