Name: A Woman's Story
Rating: 4.633333333333334 (15 reviews)

Annie Ernaux

A Woman's Story

Laurel 

(In Norman French, ‘ambition’ refers to the trauma of separation; a dog, for instance, can die of ambition.)

A New York Times Notable Book A Woman’s Story is Annie Ernaux’s "deeply affecting account of mothers and daughters, youth and age, and dreams and reality" (Kirkus Reviews). Upon her mother’s death from Alzheimer’s, Ernaux embarks on a daunting journey back through time, as she seeks to "capture the real woman, the one who existed independently from me, born on the outskirts of a small Normandy town, and who died in the geriatric ward of a hospital in the suburbs of Paris." She explores the bond between mother and daughter, tenuous and unshakable at once, the alienating worlds that separate them, and the inescapable truth that we must lose the ones we love. In this quietly powerful tribute, Ernaux attempts to do her mother the greatest justice she can: to portray her as the individual she was. She writes, "I believe I am writing about my mother because it is my turn to bring her into the world."

Started and finished in a single session, incredible! 

Clay Carey

farah farooq

i don’t think anything is scarier than your mom dying. even the idea is unfathomable

Morgan Thomas

Best Annie Ernaux I've read. Truly beautiful, emotional, and moving. It was intense reading about her mother's life and the horrible decline when she got sick. Loved it.

"A stunning, emotional testament...that may move some readers to think of their own mothrs, even in a way they hadn't before." Annie Ernaux's mother has just died. She is the only child, so it is up to her to make the final arrangements. And it is up to her to remember the proud, vibrant, intense, and difficult woman who once was her mother before age and illness vanquished her. A poignant recollection of a mother's life in France before and after the war, this woman's story can only be known in part. Yet, in this case, that is enough. An acclaimed bestseller in France, A WOMAN'S STORY is every women's story--a quiet jewel of a memoir, breathtaking and brilliant. A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK

Tabea

Bilge Ince

Deailova El

rebekah kirkman

A French writer recalls her mother's life and their relationship, and comes to terms with her death by writing about her memories

A Woman's Story

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