JEAN PHILIP DE TENDER

Philippe Besson released his latest novel, “Vour parler de mon fils”,  last week. I have, by now,  read most of his books and became a true fan. Lately, he has been publishing roughly one book yearly, and I cannot wait to get the latest one asap.

Besson has a knack for describing something that hangs in the air without really mentioning it. Every scene in his book is rich in details, which unveils many emotions, inner thoughts and secrets. A train accident will happen, a young man will disappear, a boy is harassed at school, …

Recurrent themes in his work, sometimes explicit and sometimes unspoken, are death, coming of age and identity. Some of his characters are explicitly gay; others seem to bear a secret. They are almost like a “tableau”.

Together with Edouard Louis, Besson is one of my top-rated French writers.  I sometimes think they produce too much and often about the same themes, yet I devour each new book they publish.