BOOK BRIEF

Happening

Annie Ernaux, Tanya Leslie
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Happening

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2022

Book Brief

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Annie Ernaux, Tanya Leslie

Happening

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2022
Book Details
Pages

96

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

France • 1960s

Publication Year

2022

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Annie Ernaux's Happening, translated by Tanya Leslie, is a poignant memoir chronicling a person's harrowing experience with an illegal abortion in 1960s France. It details the emotional and physical toll, while reflecting on societal attitudes and personal resilience.

Reviews & Readership

4.3

52,513 ratings

87%

Loved it

11%

Mixed feelings

2%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Annie Ernaux's Happening, translated by Tanya Leslie, is widely praised for its raw, unflinching narrative about a young woman's abortion in 1960s France. Critics commend the memoir's emotional depth and Ernaux's candid prose. Some find the stark, sparse style challenging, but others feel it enhances the authenticity. Overall, Happening is lauded for its courageous storytelling.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Happening?

Fans of intimate, memoir-driven narratives like The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion or The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky will appreciate Happening by Annie Ernaux and Tanya Leslie for its raw, honest exploration of personal and social issues surrounding a pivotal life event.

4.3

52,513 ratings

87%

Loved it

11%

Mixed feelings

2%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

96

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

France • 1960s

Publication Year

2022

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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