The First Man - Albert Camus
The unfinished autobiography of one of the brightest thinker, writer and activist. The story of a humble genius risen from misery and heat.
5 favorite essentials by Raphaël Malkin
- July 9, 2020
- 12:52 am
- Five Favorite
You might not know his face but you might have read his words. Journalist and writer, the Parisian-born Raphaël Malkin writes about music, fashion or society. He co-founded and ran the independent French magazine Snatch for 6 years and is now writing for French magazines Society and L’Etiquette. He also wrote two excellent books about the French Touch music scene and a biography about Rud Lion, a figure of French rap scene early days. Passionate about literature, he reveals 5 of his favorite books.
Men We Reaped - Jesmyn Ward
A woman among a family full of men in America’s South muggyness. This book is sparkling with fleeting ounces of brotherly love and sadness as her life is constantly flirting with violence and death. Powerful from cover to cover.
Mr Hunter’s Grave - Joseph Mitchell
Joe Mitchell is a New Yorker legendary writer, who loved to dig in where nobody else would dare to. At the very end of Staten Island, he met an old black folk who liked baking cream cakes on Sunday. Mr Hunter told him many stories about these streets and Mitchell wrote an article out of it. A sweet and incredibly tender piece chronicling Afro-Americans life.
Dispatches - Michael Herr
Before the fire and madness of the Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, this book stands as a furious legacy of what Vietnam War was. Dispatches is like a dive into jungle trenches revealing soldiers, journalists and poor farmers like Bible characters : wild with feelings and passions. In this book, war looks like a rock and sad thing.
Honor thy father - Gay Talese
When absolute master of American journalism rides with absolute master of New-York mafia. End of 70s, Gay Talese convinces Joe Bonnano, the undisputed champion of Bonnano clan to let the writer follow him everywhere and to tell his dazzling rise from his bushy Sicilian roots. This book tells about the truth of American dream : a long path where you sometimes have to cheat and be ruthless to reach the light.