Au Revoir, Tristesse: Lessons in Happiness from French Literature

A lighthearted look at how to bring more humor, happiness, and joie de vivre into our lives through French literature

Like many people the world over, Viv Groskop wishes she was a little more French. A writer, comedian, and journalist, Groskop studied the language obsessively starting at age 11, and spent every vacation in France, desperate to escape her Englishness and to have some French chic rub off on her. In Au Revoir, Tristesse, Groskop mixes literary history and memoir to explore how the classics of French literature can infuse our lives with joie de vivre and teach us how to say goodbye to sadness. From the frothy hedonism of Colette and the wit of Cyrano de Bergerac to the intoxicating universe of Marguerite Duras and the heady passions of Les Liaisons dangereuses, this is a love letter to great French writers. With chapters on Marcel Proust, Victor Hugo, Gustave Flaubert, Stendhal, Honoré de Balzac, Albert Camus, and of course Françoise Sagan, this is a delectable read for book lovers everywhere.

Praise

“Viv Groskop’s whip-smart and compelling take on French classics is deliciously entertaining. This book should be required reading for all bibliophiles!” 

— Lindsey Tramuta, author of The New Paris and The New Parisienne

“Groskop skillfully juggles memoir, biography, philosophy, and literary criticism to create a delightful tour through some of French literature’s greats. As a guide she is top notch: witty, infectiously engaged, and always thoughtful. This book will charm both newcomers and Francophiles alike.”

— Madeline Miller, author of The Song of Achilles and Circe

“a lighthearted and insightful romp…to dip into cheerfully, whether to recall novels read years ago or to find an entertaining entrée into those yet unread.”

— Publishers Weekly

“thoughtful…a lighthearted read for all fans of French literature”

— Kirkus Reviews

“Ms. Groskop is a skilled raconteuse who brings people—and the page—to life. She writes with a self-deprecating appreciation of the Frenchman or -woman manqué(e) that lurks in us all. You don’t have to be a savant to enjoy this book…“Au Revoir, Tristesse” will make a witty, seductive companion.”

— The Wall Street Journal