LJ261 Café Littéraire - Nos Richesses (Our Riches), by Kaouther Adimi

"Our Riches" by Kaouther Adimi is a novel originally written in French under the title "Nos richesses." Published in 2017, it has garnered significant acclaim for its exploration of cultural and historical themes.

The novel is a blend of fiction and non-fiction, interweaving the story of the real-life Les Vraies Richesses, a famous bookstore and publishing house in Algiers, with a fictional narrative. The bookstore was founded in the 1930s by Edmond Charlot, a notable publisher who played a significant role in the literary world, especially in championing French and North African literature.

The narrative alternates between the past and present, weaving together the story of Charlot and his bookstore with the fictional tale of a young man named Ryad, who is tasked with clearing out the bookstore in 2017. Through these parallel narratives, Adimi delves into the rich literary and cultural history of Algeria, especially during the French colonial period.

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"« Nos Richesses » de Kaouther Adimi a été publié en 2017, et il a reçu un accueil critique important pour son exploration des thèmes culturels et historiques.

Le roman est un mélange de fiction et de non-fiction, entrelaçant l'histoire réelle de Les Vraies Richesses, une célèbre librairie et maison d'édition à Alger, avec une narration fictive. La librairie a été fondée dans les années 1930 par Edmond Charlot, un éditeur notable qui a joué un rôle significatif dans le monde littéraire, en particulier en défendant la littérature française et nord-africaine.

La narration alterne entre le passé et le présent, tissant ensemble l'histoire de Charlot et de sa librairie avec le conte fictif d'un jeune homme nommé Ryad, qui est chargé de vider la librairie en 2017. À travers ces récits parallèles, Adimi plonge dans la riche histoire littéraire et culturelle de l'Algérie, en particulier pendant la période coloniale française."

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The English language version of this book is available at The Red Wheelbarrow bookstore, 9 Rue de Médicis, 75006, Paris.

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