French Literature Reviews - 2026

The Novel of Reading. A Critique of Literary Reason
Literary Theory, Linguistics and Stylistics

Alain Trouvé

The Novel of Reading. A Critique of Literary Reason, Mardaga, 2004.

Coll. PHILOSOPHY AND LANGUAGE

The idea of a novel of reading, while venerable, has never been systematically explored; it comes to the fore when reading, through its creative dimension, deserves to be called "literary." The text of reading, its corollary, allows us to verify this. Much like the novel, it constitutes a territory where the process of knowledge and its opposite collide. Within it, the reader pursues a quest for knowledge touching upon the three poles of the work, the world, and the self; however, as a creative subject, they undergo a dissolution of the self whose contours are worth mapping. Fiction and phantasm constitute its major axes.
A critical undertaking, The Novel of Reading proposes to rethink key theoretical notions—such as intertextuality and the figure of the Author—through this newly opened perspective. The analysis of major texts, conducted in alternation with general chapters, serves as a springboard for reflection. It grants a prominent place to the twentieth century, whose writers distinguished themselves through a theoretical outlook on their art. Breton, Aragon, Éluard, Perec, Le Clézio, and Hyvernaud intersect with prestigious forebears across twelve chapters designed for free exploration.

Philosophy & Language Collection 216 pages
Format 15 x 22 cm
2004
ISBN 2-87009-866-9
Sodis Code 9975408
Office 2004.06.4
Price: 25.00 € (in bookstores)

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The concept of the novel of reading positions the reader as a creative subject engaged in a quest for knowledge touching upon the work, the world, and the self. This perspective examines the intersection of fiction and phantasm, where the act of reading becomes a site for both knowledge acquisition and the dissolution of the self. Readers interested in the evolution of twentieth-century French literature and its theoretical self-awareness may find this examination of specific authors and their precursors relevant.

The work reevaluates theoretical notions, including intertextuality and the figure of the Author, by applying the lens of the reading process. This approach draws upon a range of writers, such as Breton, Aragon, and Perec, who integrated theoretical reflection into their creative practice. By alternating between general chapters and specific textual analyses, the book treats the creative dimension of reading as an object of inquiry.