books / resources
The following list of resources has been complied by the Book Department of the French Embassy. It contains a number of useful links for both industry professionals and people with a general interest in books.
100 Essential Sites for Voracious Readers: Masters in English
An English language blog dedicated to reading and book lovers, which collects and promotes other literary and publishing blogs, online literary magazines, review sites, and more.
Gallica
This website will make it possible to refer to a part of the digitalized collections of the French National Library. (Website in French and English)
Bookculture
Bookculture is a bookshop where you can browse and discover a wide range of publications in the arts and humanities. Weekly children’s story time is offered in French and English.
New York Public Library (NYPL)
With nearly 53 million items, the New York Public Library (NYPL) is the second largest public library in the United States. Members of the library can request French books from any branch.
Idlewild Books
Idlewild is an independent bookstore with branches in Manhattan and Brooklyn specializing in travel and world literature and organized by country. It offers a selection of French titles, language classes and other activities.
Rizzoli Bookstore
carries a vast number of titles in Italian, French, and Spanish in genres such as contemporary fiction, classics, mysteries, poetry, non-fiction, biographies, children"s books, and authors in translation.
McNally Jackson
McNally Jackson is an independent bookstore in New York City which aspires to be the center of Manhattan’s literary culture. Regular programming is offered, including book clubs on international literature and poetry. French book translations are available.
BNF
The French National Library collects, keeps and communicates the national archival heritage. (Website in French and English)
Center for Fiction
The Center for Fiction is a not-for-profit organization in New York City which works to promote fiction and literature and to give support to writers.
Enfants
This extraordinary platform designed for kids includes a reading room and various games and resources based on digitalized books and manuscripts from the French National Library. A unique creative lab allows children to build their own digital exhibition or to write stories commenting illustrations or following narrative sequences of storytelling/ following storytelling suggestion/variations. A section of educational guidelines is dedicated to teachers and parents. (Website in French)
Pika
The Service pour la Littérature Jeunesse by the Library & Archives of Canada offers Pika, a fully searchable electronic database on the Canadian children’s literature developed with the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, as well as several virtual exhibitions and resources for researchers including an index to International websites. (Website in French)
The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC)
The Canadian Children's Book Centre (CCBC) a website "must" for anyone interested in Canadian books for young readers. With book collections and extensive resources in five cities across Canada, the CCBC also features an annual writing contest and links to Canadian bookstores, organizations, publications and professionals of every country. (Website in French and English)
Moustache
Moustache Books is a French bookstore on-line which sells French books and offers articles, reviews and information about francophone literary news for the whole United-States. In English.
Numilog
Ebookstore to download books on computers or readers. They present a wide range of books style (literature, novels, poetry, management, marketing, computing, law, history, youth). (Website in French and English)
Europeana
Europeana, the European digital library, provides access to several million digitized documents representative of the European historical and cultural heritage. Europeana is the result of several European projects - including Europeana Regia - into which the BnF takes part. In French, English and Spanish.
Indiebound
IndieBound is a community-oriented movement begun by the independent bookseller members of American Booksellers Association. It brings together booksellers, readers, indie retailers, local business alliances.
Bibliobs
Literature and books from the French magazine Le Nouvel Observateur. (Website in French.)
Inrocks livres
The French music magazine Les Inrocks offers quality book reviews and new title listings. (Website in French)
Transfuge
A cultural magazine for literary news and cinema. (Website in French)
Livres Hebdo
Livres-Hebdo is a professional French magazine published by le Cercle de la librairie aimed at books professionals. (Website in French.)
Ricochet Jeunes
Website of the Institut Suisse Jeunesse et Medias (ISJM), Ricochet is an independent website on Francophone children’s literature. Book reviews, interviews of creators, news bring life this resource database of interesting features and original highlights which includes directories of children’s literature institutions, authors and useful links. (Website in French.)
La Joie par les livres
The French National Center for Children’s Literature La Joie par les Livres is part of the National Public Library Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BNF). Its website features an exhaustive agenda, articles and critics on children’s literature. It is also the editor of the magazine La Revue des Livres pour Enfants and it offers previous issues online from up to two years ago (from 1965 to 2010). (Website in French.)
TD Summer Reading Club
The TD Summer Reading Club “Imagine” of the Canadian Children’s Book Center entertains kids with jokes, puzzles, funny drawings, lessons and a silly stories lab.It also helps them choose books acccording to themes and age, and to share readings and games with other young members.
Paris Review
The Paris Review is a literary magazine featuring original writing, art, and in-depth interviews with famous writers.
Bookforum
A sister publication of Artforum, Bookforum brings incisive reviews of the latest titles, author interviews, and commentary about current and coming trends.
The New York Review of Books
The online version of the biweekly book review and journal of intellectual currents.
Contemporary French and Francophone Studies
Contemporary French and Francophone Studies proposes to extend French Studies beyond traditional limits. Inviting all critical approaches on the latest debates in French Studies (cultural studies, francophone studies, autobiography, media studies, etc.), the journal provides a forum not only for academics, but for journalists, artists, filmmakers, and writers of fiction and poetry as well. Containing interviews, articles, fiction and poetry, each issue features contributors from across the disciplines.
Bookbirds
Bookbird is a Journal of international children's literature published quarterly by IBBY. It includes several francophones authors in each issue.
Le Monde des livres
News from the literary world.
Yale French Studies
Yale French Studies is the oldest English-language journal in the United States devoted to French and Francophone literature and culture.
Non-Fiction
Non-Fiction, a website edited by journalists and researchers, discusses current issues in non-fiction with reviews of recently released books. (Website in French.)
Public Books
Public Books is a curated monthly review devoted to spirited debate on books and the arts, created by and for a transnational community of writers, artists, and activists.
Guernica Magazine
Guernica is an award-winning online magazine of ideas, art, poetry, and fiction published twice monthly. Guernica Daily, the magazine’s blog, is updated every weekday. Guernica contributors come from dozens of countries and write in nearly as many languages.
Words Without Borders
Words without Borders translates, publishes, and promotes contemporary international literature. Their publications and programs open doors for readers of English around the world to the multiplicity of viewpoints, richness of experience, and literary perspective on world events offered by writers in other languages.
Three Percent
For readers, editors, and translators interested in modern and contemporary international literature.
InTranslation
The Brooklyn Rail features unpublished translations of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and dramatic writing. Ideal for translators, authors, editors, and publishers seeking to collaborate.
The University of Nebraska Press
The University of Nebraska Press publishes books and journals especially in American history, the American West, and Native American studies has published French authors including Lutz Bassman, Paule Constant, Isabelle Heberhardt, Annie Ernaux, Edouard Glissant, Luc Lang and Le Clezio.
Bison Books
Bison Books publishes mainly translations from French books.
Open Letter Books
Open Letter Books is a publisher of literature in translation at the University of Rochester. Open Letter Books has published French authors including Marguerite Duras.
Archipelago Books
Archipelago Books is a not-for-profit press devoted to publishing excellent translations of classic and contemporary world literature. Archipekago Books has published French authors including René Crevel, Dominique Fabre, Abdellatif Aabi, Henri Michaux, and Pierre Michon.
Semiotext(e)
Publishing works of theory, fiction, madness, economics, satire, sexuality, science fiction, activism and confession, Semiotext(e)'s highly curated list has famously melded high and low forms of cultural expression into a nuanced and polemical vision of the present. Semiotext(e) has published French authors including Pierre Guyotat, Jean-Luc Hennig and Tiqqun.
Verso Books
Verso Books is the largest independent, radical publishing house in the English-speaking world. Verso Books has published French authors including Jean Baudrillard and Daniel Bensaïd.
Seven Stories Press
Seven Stories Press publishes books of top authors, non-fiction (social justice, human rights and radical activism) and alternative health, women's health, and popular culture. Seven Stories Press has published French authors including Celine Curiol, Jean-Baptiste de Panafieu and Jean-Marie Déguignet.
City Lights
City Lights is a landmark independent bookstore and publisher that specializes in world literature, the arts, and progressive politics. City Lights has published French authors including Tahar Ben Jelloun and George Bataille.
Melville House
Melville House is an independent publisher which has developed a world-wide reputation for its rediscovery of forgotten international writers. Melville House has published French authors such as Georges Simenon.
Fantagraphics
Publisher of comic books and braphic Novels by the world's greatest cartoonists. In English. Fantastagraphics has publish French authors such as Jacques Tardi, Lewis Trondheim, Stephane Blanquet.
Salon du Livre de Paris
One of the biggest events in the French literary world, the Salon du Livre is an annual international book fair in Paris for publishers and booksellers. (Website in French)
Villa Gillet
The Villa Gillet is a place of research and dialogue about contemporary arts and way of thinking. The cultural association is the organizer of the Walls & Bridges Festival in New York and the Assises du Roman in Lyon. (Website in French)
PEN American Center
PEN American Center is the largest of the 141 centers of International PEN, the world’s oldest human rights organization and the oldest international literary organization.
Pen American Center
PEN American Center is the largest of the 141 centers of International PEN, the world’s oldest human rights organization and the oldest international literary organization.
Centre National du Livre (CNL)
The Centre National du Livre (CNL) is a public institution that encourages the promotion of books and reading through the support of authors, publishers, booksellers, libraries. It also gives loans and grants after consulting specialized committees. (Website in French)
Institut Français
Institut Français works closely with the French cultural network abroad to promote cultural and artistic exchange outside of France. (Website in French)
IFVerso
IFVerso is an online database with more than 70,000 French books translated in over 40 languages. IFVerso is also a social network for books professionals.
French Publisher’s Agency (New York)
The French Publishers’ Agency represents distinguished French publishers, with a selection of works of particular interest to an English-language readership. An affiliate of the Bureau International de l'Edition Française (BIEF), responsible for the international promotion of French publishers.
French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF)
FIAF offers New Yorkers innovative and unique programs in education and the arts that explore the evolving diversity and richness of Francophone cultures.
