Émile Ajar
Literary pseudonym used by the French novelist Romain Gary (1914–1980). Under the name Émile Ajar he published La Vie devant soi (1975), which won the Prix Goncourt; the pseudonymous identity was maintained in public for several years before being revealed.
Books
This list of books are ONLY the books that have been ranked on the lists that are aggregated on this site. This is not a comprehensive list of all books by this author.
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1. Momo
A streetwise orphan narrates his life in a Parisian boarding house run by an ageing former prostitute who shelters the children of other prostitutes; their unlikely, tender bond grows as they share daily survival, stories, and the small graces of dignity amid poverty and prejudice. Told in the child's blunt, humorous voice, the story follows his fierce devotion as his guardian's health and painful past—marked by war, memory, and shame—surface, forcing him to confront mortality, identity, and what it means to belong. Wry, compassionate, and bittersweet, the novel blends comedy and sorrow to explore love, resilience, and the quiet heroism of ordinary people.
The 13599th Greatest Book of All Time