La place

Annie Ernaux writes about her father, a Normandy farm laborer who became a factory worker and then a café and grocery owner, rising a little in class but never feeling at ease with it. She begins the account after his death, in plain, unadorned sentences, and recalls his manners, his silences, and the shame she felt as she moved into the educated middle class through school. She deliberately avoids sentiment or invented dialogue.

Short enough to read in an afternoon, it appeals to readers of memoir and social history who want a sharp account of class difference and distance between parents and children. It suits those who prefer spare restraint to emotional display.

Deep, inward-looking and contemplative; a moderate read.

Best for readers like The Mindful Reader. Which reader are you?