A woman recounts the period of her life when she was consumed by a love affair with a married foreign man. Annie Ernaux describes how she spent her time waiting for his phone calls, planning her outfits for his visits, and thinking of nothing but him. She notes the physical, material details of obsession, such as buying clothes, getting an HIV test, and visiting places he mentioned. The text is brief and clinical, rejecting romantic cliches, and treats desire as an experience that eclipses everything else.
Readers of memoir and autofiction, or anyone interested in Ernaux's cool, unsentimental style, will value this short book. It suits those who want a candid portrait of passion's grip, finished in an hour.
Deep and inward-looking; an easy read.
Best for readers like The Empathetic Explorer. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1998
- Publisher
- Tusquets
- ISBN
- 9788483105979
- Language
- ES
