French Literature Reviews - 2026
Thibault Le Page, Reading Together: Exchanging, Surveying, Mapping. 17 Reading Exercises, Solo or in Groups
History, Politics and Society
Illustrations by Thibault Le Page
To read, and keep reading. To rediscover the taste for what develops over the long term, to foster the joy of being together, of sharing, discussing, debating, and building one's thoughts through dialogue: this is an agenda that easily wins universal support. But how can this be put into practice at a time when reading time is increasingly being cannibalized and artificial intelligence programs seem to be replacing this shared experience? The ambition of this book is to provide key insights to initiate and sustain group activities centered around books.
Are you familiar with surveying, a practice that involves dividing up a book to read it collectively? Library exchanges? Book clubs? Drawing notably on approaches from art and design, Thibault Le Page proposes seventeen exercises designed to help people rediscover the joy of reading together, much like sitting down at a table together.
A graduate in design, Thibault Le Page is an illustrator and PhD candidate in socio-anthropology at HEAD–Genève HES-SO and the University of Geneva, affiliated with the Sciences Po médialab. His dissertation, which he is writing in the form of a graphic novel, focuses on the ruins of pop culture.
The practice of collective reading and shared literary discussion has long formed a cornerstone of cultural life and community engagement, bridging individual reflection with social dialogue. In an era where digital distractions and automated technologies increasingly fragment attention and displace communal experiences, renewed attention is often paid to traditional formats such as book clubs, reading groups, and collaborative textual analysis. Such activities draw on diverse methodological traditions, ranging from sociology and cultural mediation to creative practices rooted in art and design, aiming to cultivate sustained attention and collective inquiry around written works.
Readers interested in collaborative cultural practices, library mediation, and group reading formats may find this volume relevant. Thibault Le Page proposes seventeen exercises designed to help people rediscover the joy of reading together, drawing notably on approaches from art and design. The author is an illustrator and PhD candidate in socio-anthropology at HEAD–Genève HES-SO and the University of Geneva, affiliated with the Sciences Po médialab.