In the nineteen seventies, Romain Gary, a well-established French author, was at the height of his fame. He had already published twenty-four novels, many of which were best-sellers. He was a decorated war hero, a
Chevalier de la légion d’honneur, and a French diplomat at the United Nations. He had also received the “Prix Goncourt” in 1956 for his novel
Les Racines du ciel.He led a glamorous lifestyle in the upscale “7e arondissement” at la Rue du Bac in Paris; was married to the famous American film star Jean Seberg; and had many friends in Hollywood. Yet, despite all these outward signs of success, Romain Gary felt underappreciated as a writer. Wanting to reinvent himself, he published four novels under the assumed name of Émile Ajar with the
Mercure de France. He…
4756 words
Citation: Tirven-Gadum, Vina. "La Vie devant soi". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 March 2014 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=32697, accessed 26 November 2024.]
