The Art of Losing

Naïma's family comes from Algeria, but she knows it only from what she experiences in her grandparents' tiny apartment in Normandy: the food her grandmother cooks, the precious things they carried when they fled. Naïma's father claims to remember nothing, has made himself French. But now, one of them is going back; Naïma will see for herself what was left behind--including the ...

Naïma's family comes from Algeria, but she knows it only from what she experiences in her grandparents' tiny apartment in Normandy: the food her grandmother cooks, the precious things they carried when they fled. Naïma's father claims to remember nothing, has made himself French. But now, one of them is going back; Naïma will see for herself what was left behind--including the family secrets.

How do we protect our families and choose the right side of war, revolution? What price will our descendants pay for the choices we make? Will they judge us fairly? During the War for Algerian Independence, Naïma's grandfather went from being the wealthy owner of a olive grove to an immigrant scratching out a living in France. Her search reveals how the battle against colonial rule reshaped communities, created deep rifts within families, and let the whims of whoever might be in power instantly overturn the lives of ordinary people.

Alice Zeniter is a French novelist, translator, scriptwriter, and director. Her novel Take This Man was published in English by Europa Editions in 2011. Zeniter has won many awards for her work in France, including the Prix Littéraire de la Porte Dorée, the Prix Renaudot des Lycéens, and the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens, which was awarded to The Art of Losing. She lives in Brittan...

Alice Zeniter is a French novelist, translator, scriptwriter, and director. Her novel Take This Man was published in English by Europa Editions in 2011. Zeniter has won many awards for her work in France, including the Prix Littéraire de la Porte Dorée, the Prix Renaudot des Lycéens, and the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens, which was awarded to The Art of Losing. She lives in Brittany.

Frank Wynne has translated the work of many authors including Michel Houellebecq, Boualem Sansal, Frédéric Beigbeder, and the late Ivoirian novelist Ahmadou Kourouma. He won the International IMPAC Literary Award with Houellebecq for The Elementary Particles.