Annie Ernaux (1940) is a French writer and the 2022 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. In this slim 72 page book she writes about her father who grew up on a farm with very little education, moved to the city to work in a factory, worked through the war, ran a grocery store with his wife and a cafe, and stayed in the sidelines of life with his many unfulfilled dreams, his little comforts and his overall shame at not feeling like he belonged in this world.
Annie writes about her father's life simply with no drama, touching upon aspects like what money meant to them, or entertainment, or intimacy. Obsessed with being correct he would be polite, put the best foot forward when there were guests, berate himself for not being politically correct or for showing off his ignorance, worried about what others thought of them all the time, worried that his illness might eat into their savings etc. Annie's accomplishment at passing the teacher training course was one which filled his life with pride. She mentions small details - the photo he took with her standing in front of their house, the paper which mentions her passing the course second in her batch. His favorite song, the time he took little Annie to the central library to borrow books with no idea how to. The way he would address her university friends with utmost respect. And his illness, two months after her passing the exam, and the slow realisation that he may not survive it.
It's painful, heavy and honest and I could identify myself with parts of him, just as many men perhaps do as they grow older. Thanks Vinod bhai. Another wonderful book from you.
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