The Young Man

The Young Man by Annie Ernaux is the celebrated author's most recent work, published in 2022, and winner of the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature. This dazzling and breathtaking account explores her passionate affair with a man 30 years her junior.

"A sublime book." - Olivia de Lamberterie, Elle

"Once again the work of the writer Annie Ernaux appears as both a rigorous study of life and an experiment. These fragments of living, however evanescent, are precious, irreplaceable, like a skin that never fades." - Caroline Montpetit in Le Devoir

The Young Man chronicles Ernaux's relationship with A., a man some 30 years younger, during a time when she was in her fifties. This affair draws her back to memories of her youth and evokes a feeling of being ageless, as if she is living her life backwards. The narrative explores themes of time, ageing, and self-discovery.

As the prospect of having a child arises amidst her relationship, Ernaux confronts the inevitability of time passing and the approach of menopause. Yet, she reflects on her memories of being the "scandalous girl" with the maturity and confidence honed through years of literary experience.

This work of reflection and intimacy, first published in France, exemplifies the mastery and self-assurance for which Ernaux is acclaimed.