About this list

Radio France, 20 Books

The French book list focuses on novels that have not only made significant marks on the literary world but have also influenced real historical events throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, transcending national borders. It highlights how some novels have transformed the societies in which they were written, altering perceptions of what a "novel" can be, or even changing the very image of literature within their originating countries. The list covers works from twenty authors—ten men and ten women—whose writings range from creating new worlds and narratives to contributing to the dismantling of old ones and reshaping our understanding of history. This initiative, curated by Mathias Enard and directed by Laure-Hélène Planchet, with Aurélie Marsset as the production assistant, delves into texts that have notably stirred their times.

This list has 20 books, and each book as a podcast that discusses the books by renowned literary critics, experts, and authors.

This list was originally published in 2022 and was added to this site almost 2 years ago.