Some may consider the French memoirist’s defining work to be a contemporary re-imagining of Proust’s volumised masterpiece. Indeed, it’s another famous French text which deals masterfully with an overarching theme of the passage of time. Originally published in 2008, the beloved author’s “hybrid” memoir spans the years between 1941-2006, offering a perspective that is simultaneously personal and collective. Through collections of memories, photos, books, songs, advertisements and news headlines, Ernaux delivers an intimate memoir for the masses.