What do you think?
Rate this book
Ceux qui savent comprendront
61pages. 18x12x1cm. Poche.
- GenresFranceContemporary
61 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2000
About the author
Anna Gavalda
69 books1,790 followersAnna Gavalda is a French teacher and award-winning novelist.
Referred to by Voici magazine as "a distant descendant of Dorothy Parker", Anna Gavalda was born in an upper-class suburb of Paris. While working as French teacher in high school, a collection of her short stories was first published in 1999 under the title "Je voudrais que quelqu'un m'attende quelque part" that met with both critical acclaim and commercial success, selling more than three-quarters of a million copies in her native France and winning the 2000 "Grand Prix RTL-Lire." The book was translated into numerous languages including in English and sold in twenty-seven countries. It was published to acclaim in North America in 2003 as "I Wish Someone Were Waiting for Me Somewhere." The book received much praise and is a library and school selection worldwide in several languages.
Gavalda's first novel, Je l'aimais (Someone I Loved) was published in France in February 2002 and later that year in English. Inspired by the failure of her own marriage, it too was a major literary success and a bestseller and was followed by the short (96 pages) juvenile novel 35 kilos d'espoir (95 Pounds of Hope) that she said she wrote "to pay tribute to those of my students who were dunces in school but otherwise fantastic people".
In 2004, her third novel, "Ensemble c'est tout," focused on the lives of four people living in an apartment house: a struggling young artist who works as an office cleaner at night, a young aristocrat misfit, a cook, and an elderly grandmother. The 600-page book is a bestseller in France and has been translated into English as Hunting and Gathering.
As of 2007, her three books have sold more than 3 million copies in France. Ensemble c'est tout was made into a successful movie in 2007 by Claude Berri, with Audrey Tautou and Guillaume Canet. The adaptation of her first novel, Je l'aimais, with Daniel Auteuil and Marie-Josée Croze, was filmed in 2009 by Zabou Breitman.
Divorced, and the mother of two, Gavalda lives in the city of Melun, Seine-et-Marne, about 50 km southeast of Paris. In addition to writing novels, she also contributes to Elle magazine.
Referred to by Voici magazine as "a distant descendant of Dorothy Parker", Anna Gavalda was born in an upper-class suburb of Paris. While working as French teacher in high school, a collection of her short stories was first published in 1999 under the title "Je voudrais que quelqu'un m'attende quelque part" that met with both critical acclaim and commercial success, selling more than three-quarters of a million copies in her native France and winning the 2000 "Grand Prix RTL-Lire." The book was translated into numerous languages including in English and sold in twenty-seven countries. It was published to acclaim in North America in 2003 as "I Wish Someone Were Waiting for Me Somewhere." The book received much praise and is a library and school selection worldwide in several languages.
Gavalda's first novel, Je l'aimais (Someone I Loved) was published in France in February 2002 and later that year in English. Inspired by the failure of her own marriage, it too was a major literary success and a bestseller and was followed by the short (96 pages) juvenile novel 35 kilos d'espoir (95 Pounds of Hope) that she said she wrote "to pay tribute to those of my students who were dunces in school but otherwise fantastic people".
In 2004, her third novel, "Ensemble c'est tout," focused on the lives of four people living in an apartment house: a struggling young artist who works as an office cleaner at night, a young aristocrat misfit, a cook, and an elderly grandmother. The 600-page book is a bestseller in France and has been translated into English as Hunting and Gathering.
As of 2007, her three books have sold more than 3 million copies in France. Ensemble c'est tout was made into a successful movie in 2007 by Claude Berri, with Audrey Tautou and Guillaume Canet. The adaptation of her first novel, Je l'aimais, with Daniel Auteuil and Marie-Josée Croze, was filmed in 2009 by Zabou Breitman.
Divorced, and the mother of two, Gavalda lives in the city of Melun, Seine-et-Marne, about 50 km southeast of Paris. In addition to writing novels, she also contributes to Elle magazine.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 1, 2020
Une belle leçon de vie ce livre ! Lu en une journée ! (En même temps il ne fait que 38 pages...) j'ai adoré comment le protagoniste évolue du début à la fin et son changement radical de vie ! Il en a eu du courage et tout cela grâce à ses voisins qui lui ont ouvert les yeux (surtout Nina !)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2020
Superbement écrit !
July 5, 2024
Très bien écrit, petit roman, histoire nostalgique d’un homme qui passe à côté de sa vie
January 2, 2023
J'ai lu ce livre de nombreuses fois il y a une 15-20taine d'années, et j'avais peur d'être déçue en le relisant maintenant, mais non, c'est un bon morceau de nostalgie, avec une écriture spontannée et fluide.
July 14, 2012
un homme, photograph
talentueux, jeune...ne bouge plus, sa vie est devenue monotone.
a travers un rencontre inattendu et une soiree avec ses voisins,
il redecouvre le gout a vivre et il change sa vie.
touchant, plein d'observation, de petits details de tous les jours
et les choses qui peuvents arriver dans la vie.
beaucoup de sentiment et sensibilite.
talentueux, jeune...ne bouge plus, sa vie est devenue monotone.
a travers un rencontre inattendu et une soiree avec ses voisins,
il redecouvre le gout a vivre et il change sa vie.
touchant, plein d'observation, de petits details de tous les jours
et les choses qui peuvents arriver dans la vie.
beaucoup de sentiment et sensibilite.
January 2, 2022
Το είχα διαβάσει πριν χρόνια κ θυμάμαι πώς μου άρεσε πολύ
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews