The Mookse and the Gripes discussion

Les Fugitives is a small UK independent press, founded by writer and translator Cécile Menon.

Their focus in on publishing contemporary Francophone literature in translation, typically by prize-winning authors in French, but previously unpublished in English. Almost all their authors are female, with one exception.

So far they have published 11 books with two more due summer 2020:

1. Suite for Barbara Loden
2. Eve out of Her Ruins
3. Blue Self-Portrait
4. Translation as Transhumance
5. Now, Now, Louison
6. The Governesses
7. Selfies
8. This Tilting World
9. The Living Days
10. Exposition
11. The White Dress
12. Little Dancer Aged Fourteen: The True Story Behind Degas's Masterpiece
13. A Respectable Occupation

Most titles published by Les Fugitives are published in the US by fellow indie publishers.

I have read 8 of the 9 (I haven't read the non-fiction Translation as Transhumance) and am extremely impressed with the quality and variety, such that I now pre-order all of their books. Reviews can be found if you click through the links.

[Indeed technically The Living Days isn't out yet - but they sent me a proof copy 3 months in advance]

Suite for Barbara Loden is also referenced in the Booker and Women's Prize featured Lost Children Archive - the narrator (as indeed did Luiselli) is reading a pre-publication proof.

And I'm currently staring at Blue Self-Portrait - ready to start actually tonight, I hope. Though my copy is courtesy of my Transit Books subscription. This looks great - I shall add it to my list of indie presses from whom to purchase. Thanks, Paul!

I’ve read five, and they’ve all been outstanding. It would be wonderful if they’d ship to the US, but I’ve been able to get their books on Book Depository or through US publishers as you mention.

They don’t ship to the US as they partner with other Indy publishers (which I suspect means sharing translation costs etc)

Exciting news - they have just introduced a subscription service. Only to Uk and Europe though since, as mentioned in previous post, they partner with other indies in the US.

I will definitely be subscribing.

https://www.lesfugitives.com/subscribe

Updating above for the 11 books published - I've read and really enjoyed them all - and the 2 in the works.

Reviews on my Les Fugitives shelf: https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Thank you, Paul!

Sale on

"For one week only, we invite you to use the code WRITEoSPRING for free UK postage and 24.35% off the cover price of 5 irreverent and ever more urgently relevant titles, from searing cries of MAYDAY to spring rituals to delight and disorient"

Reviews of all their books here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...

Thanks for that, Paul. I've ordered three.

Excellent - which ones

Any idea why 24.35%? Feels I am missing something obvious.

I think it showed as 23% when I placed the order. I can't imagine what 24.35 would be unless it has something to do with one of the newer books? Or a typo in their promotion email.

I bought The Fool and Other Moral Tales, Exposition, and Poetics of Work.

I have most of the others, some of which you gave me (thanks very much).

Hope you enjoy them Ang

The sale isn’t showing on the website. Where did you see this sale announced?

Direct from the publisher. Just enter the code and it should work (did for Ang, and it does when I try it)

I wouldn’t get free shipping and I just went a little nutty book shopping, mostly older Peirene Press titles, so I will let this one pass.

30% sale on at moment - no code needed

It’s interesting that Eve out of Her Ruins also has a young adult version. Eve out of Her Ruins - YA Edition.

Great name - how do they come up with these titles.

I am not sure the YA edition is any different in content. At least I hope not. They didn’t send it to me despite being a subscriber. I still marked it as read on Goodreads so as to keep my perfect record of Les Fugitives books.

I’ve accepted an invitation to join an Advisory Board for ales Fugitives.

Congrats, Paul!

They made a wise choice. Congrats.

Not entirely sure what value I will add. I only really know Cécile through a train journey back together after the RoC shortlist announcement the year we judged it.

Congratulations Paul.

That's great Paul.

We all know what value you add, Paul. That’s very exciting. That gives the rest of us bragging rights too now; “my friend Paul, he’s on the board of Les Fugitives, said book X is very good.”

Well I have been saying this about Les Fugitives books all along - I’ve read them all. But I don’t see to have made them go viral yet.

Actually it is a press which struggles for attention vs Peirene, Charco, Fitzcarraldo etc. Not quite sure I know how to change that though.

And you can’t even complain to them about the length of their books!

More seriously, that’s great news. Just the other day I was looking into buying a few of their 2022 publications. I've read surprisingly few titles form their catalogue, but loved Anna Serre and Jean Frémon.

They had a bit of an issue this year with two of their books in that the original author died and then the right seemed to have got tied up in an inheritance issue. So they had to pull them.

In honor of your membership on the board, Paul, I will buy Les Fugitive title every two weeks. They all sound smart and interesting.

I just ordered Suite for Barbara Loden. I had to order from Blackwells, shipping makes the books 2x as much.

WndyJW wrote: "I just ordered Suite for Barbara Loden. I had to order from Blackwells, shipping makes the books 2x as much."
It's Les Fugitives that has some sort of overlap with Dorothy Publishing, yes? (I know both published the excellent trio of Nathalie Léger books. I read Suite for Barbara Loden twice---a rarity for me---and watched the film Wanda because of it. Enjoy!)

I ordered The Living Days from Les Fugitives a year or more ago and got an email for Les Fugitives letting me know that Feminist Press also published The Living Days and did I want to cancel my order and order from Feminist Press to save on shipping! I was stunned. That was so kind and had it been any press but Feminist Press I would have stayed with Les Fugitives.

Yes they tend to jointly commission books with US presses

May the Tigris Grieve for You was released yesterday. I thought there might a review from you, Paul, since you’re on the board. It sounds really good, I love that passages from the myth of Gilgamesh and the voice of the Tigris River will play roles in this story.

Have been carrying the book around since Monday but one of those weeks. Haven’t read a page of any book.

Did just post a belated review of their previous book Chicanes.

I hate those kind of weeks. I hope you find time soon. All work and no play….

Chicanes:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

May the Tigris Grieve for You
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

May the Tigris Grieve for You was in the FTs best books in translation section in their Summer Reads edition

And to buy that or any other Les Fugitives book here is a 40% coupon :

Enjoy 40% Off with code 59BR5S9

Valid to 31 July

I loved May the Tigris Grieve for You. A quiet devastating heartbreaking story. I’d compare it to Minor Detail, except we know from page one what the outcome will be and if memory serves, while I gave Minor Detail 5 stars, May the Tigris is more beautifully written.

Thank you for the code, Paul!

Paul! Les Fugitives doesn’t ship to the U.S.! I can order Absence and Down with the Poor from Blackwells, but no 40% off. Which is fine, I know shipping costs are crazy high now.

Others should take advantage of this sale though! Is this 40% off sale with code public knowledge, Paul. I’ll post is on #bookstagram if it is. I just checked and there’s mention of it on Les Fugitive’s Instagram account. People love sales!

Yes it is public.

And the US postage thing is in part as I have mentioned before that the US rights often exist with other publishers.

Do you which US press publishes the same titles and Les Fugitives? Like Fitzcarraldo and New Direction.

I think it depends on the book. Dorothy Project published the Léger around the time they came out from Les Fugitives.

Deep Vellum publishes Down with the Poor!, but Absence doesn’t seem to have been published in the US.

Yes depends on books, lots of different presses, and some can be sold in US. Whether the website allows shipping there I am less clear but contact the press and ask for any book who has US rights or if they can send.

Halloween Sale - 60% off all books - code Q2DBJQQ - until midnight (UK) on 31 October

For recommendations - my reviews of all their books here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list...