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The Years

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The Years

By: Annie Ernaux
Narrated by: Anna Bentinck
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About this listen

The Years is a personal narrative of the period of 1941 to 2006 told through the lens of memory, impressions past and present - even projections into the future - photos, books, songs, radio, television, and decades of advertising and headlines, contrasted with intimate conflicts and written notes from six decades of diaries. Local dialect, words of the time, slogans, brands, and names for ever-proliferating objects are given a voice here. The voice we recognize as the author's continually dissolves and re-emerges. Ernaux makes the passage of time palpable. Time itself, inexorable, narrates its own course, consigning all other narrators to anonymity. A new kind of autobiography emerges, at once subjective and impersonal, private and collective.

On its 2008 publication in France, The Years came as a surprise. Although Ernaux had, for years, been hailed as a beloved best-selling and award-winning author, The Years was in many ways a departure: both an intimate memoir written by entire generations and a story of generations telling a very personal story.

©2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2019 Dreamscape Media, LLC Europe France

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All stars
Most relevant  
I’m hoping that this will become a part of the curriculum for schools, for the young to pick apart, absorb and learn from. A possible view, blueprint, to explore similar personal time spans that hopefully enlighten through the truthful enquiring with heart and mind. Outstanding observation in a lifetime.

A historical gift of immense proportions

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I Enjoyed this book enough to give it a second listen. And I might go back again!

Wonderful

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It brought back memories of times past and included world events. Interesting and very well told.

A reminiscent listen

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extraordinary combination of the private and the national/ global view of the recent history, with observations that help viewing the current awful state of the world with a larger perspective

one of the best books i have read in the last years

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Ernaux uses the self as a conduit to channel a tale of social history from post war france to postmodernism and beyond. An incredible narrative feat

Groundbreaking

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We might be surprised to see that people worried about very similar things many years ago as we do now. Eg social division, materialism, political divisiveness etc. it is a very powerful reflection on our times and on the impact of the passage of time on us as individuals, for the country and for the world. This is a book that will be in my head for a long time.

A story that reflects the past, the present and the future…

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This is a marvellous piece of work .It is important .I have listened to every word and acknowledged every sentence as worthy

Marvellous Read /Listen

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What an unusual but amazing narrative. That was mesmerising. I wasn’t sure what was going on to begin with but once I acclimatised, I was swept into this amazingly vivid narrative.

Absolutely loved that

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Acutely observed memoir, chronologically narrating a woman's life in France from 1941 to 2006. Bravely told (even though the memoirist herself is described in the third person) and a fascinating insight into French life since the war. Outstanding.

Brilliant life narrative

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The book captures a life in images and brief lists but it works well and is captivating.

Great memoir

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