The Best French Books for Beginners

If you are feeling ready for the next step in your French learning journey, these 3 books are a great way to easy into French literature.

Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry: this novella which has been translated into hundreds of languages tells the story of a little prince who travels across the universe gaining wisdom through life experiences. It covers topics of loneliness, friendship, love and loss. It is the perfect book for beginners as the text is easy to follow and uses every day vocabulary.

Bonjour Tristesse by Françoise Sagan: while this book may be recommended for intermediate levels, it is a great read for those looking for a bit more of a challenging (for beginners) read. This charming tale follows Cécile, a 17 year old girl who explores love and all its complications while vacationing in the South of France with her father and his mistress. The reader learns words and phrases on the topic of love and heartbreak that your average workbook does not cover.

L'Étranger by Albert Camus: this novel uses simple French text that is digestible and easy to follow and avoids challenging tenses like le passé simple The story follow the life of Meursault who weeks after finding out about his mother’s death, is condemned for the killing of an Arab man. In this novel, Albert Camus explores the “meaninglessness” of life and sparks ideas in the reader of what is means for individuals to find their own meaning and purpose in life.

Bisous,

Anaïs

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