Patrick Modiano

Alan Morris Senior Lecturer in French,University of Strathclyde

• The birth of a novelist; a novelist's occupation: "La Place de l'Etoile", "La Ronde de nuit" and "Les Boulevards de ceinture"; "Plus ca change..." - "Villa Triste", "Livret de famille" and "Rue des Boutiques Obscures"; making a break - "Une jeunesse" and "De si braves garcons"; tales of crime and mystery - "Quartier perdu" and "Dimanches d'aout"; childhood to the fore - "Remise de peine" and "Vestiarire de l'enfance"; towards a final exorcism - "Vogage de noces", "Fleurs de ruine" and "Un cirque passe".

'The text is clearly written, precisely and meticulously annotated and provides an informative introduction to those unfamiliar with Modiano as well as a wealth of new insights for existing afficionados.'Claire Hadfield, University of Lancaster- 'Modern and Contemporary France"This level-headed survey of the writer will serve as a very approachable introduction for students, as a stimulus to teachers of modern literature to explore Modiano further and as a starting-point for the more detailed explorations of this fascinating body of writing which will surely be undertaken before long.'French Studies