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The Martins

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( 4,525 ratings, 558 reviews)
Brief Description
Is it true that every life is the stuff of novels? Or are some people just too ordinary? This is the question a struggling Parisian writer asks when he challenges himself to write about the first person he sees when he steps outside his apartment. Secretly... Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
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A disillusioned Parisian writer finds inspiration in the ordinary lives of his neighbours, the Martins.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Is it true that every life is the stuff of novels? Or are some people just too ordinary?

This is the question a struggling Parisian writer asks when he challenges himself to write about the first person he sees when he steps outside his apartment. Secretly hoping to meet the beautiful woman who occasionally smokes on his street, he instead sets eyes on octogenarian Madeleine. She's happy to become the subject of his project, but first, she needs to put her shopping away...

Wondering if his project is doomed to be hopelessly banal, he soon finds himself tangled in the lives of Madeleine's family. Though calm on the surface, the Martins have secrets, troubles, and woes, and the writer discovers that the most compelling story is that of an ordinary life.

The Martins explores the extraordinary within the ordinary, revealing that every life may indeed be worthy of a novel.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781805333654

Publisher: Pushkin Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 23 October 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Pushkin Press

Contributors:

  • Translated by Sam Taylor

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 256

About the Author

David Foenkinos is the author of 17 novels which have been translated into 40 languages. His novel Delicacy was made into a film starring Audrey Tautou. He received the 2014 Prix Renaudot and Prix Goncourt des lycéens for Charlotte.

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