Philippe Besson – författare

The New Novel from the author of Lie With Me‘Doomed youth, simmering desire and 100-proof nostalgia is what Besson does - and he does it very well . . . perfect reading for a heatwave . . .  this novel made me nostalgic for the sultry summers I never had’ The TimesOn an island off the coast of France, six teenagers come together for a summer of desire and discovery until one of them vanishes forever, leaving the rest with an enduring mysteryTell me, do you know why the most beautiful love stories must always end badly?In the summer of 1985, on a scruffy resort island off the coast of France, six teenagers—five boys and one girl—band together for a final golden season before adulthood. Their days are drenched in sun and freedom, and their nights simmer with secrets, jealousy, and longing. Philippe is drawn to Nicolas, the quiet new boy who sees him in a way that no one else does. As their bond deepens, part of Nicolas remains unreachable—until a sudden tragedy brings their summer to a brutal end.The Summer Boy is a lush and unforgettable autobiographical tale, capturing the ineffable summers of youth in amber. Celebrated novelist Philippe Besson has shaped his memories into an aching meditation on how one summer night—and one fierce connection—can echo across a lifetime.

A man passing through the French village of his youth revisits the passionate and secret love affair he had with another boy when they were teens after seeing someone who strongly resembles his long lost lover. 50,000 first printing.

NOW A MAJOR FILMTHE NO.1 FRENCH BESTSELLER 'Stunning and heart-gripping' André Aciman, author of Call Me by Your Name 'A beautiful, shattering novel about desire and shame, about passionate youth and the regrets of age' Olivia Laing, bestselling author of Crudo Just outside a hotel in Bordeaux, Philippe, a famous writer, chances upon a young man who bears a striking resemblance to his first love. What follows is a look back to Philippe's teenage years, to a winter morning in 1984, a small French high school, and a carefully timed encounter between two seventeen-year-olds. It's the start of a secret, intensely passionate, world-altering love affair between Philippe and his classmate, Thomas. Dazzlingly rendered by Molly Ringwald, the acclaimed actor and writer, in her first-ever translation, Besson's exquisitely moving coming-of-age story captures the tenderness of first love - and the heart-breaking passage of time.'It has been years since anything moved me as much as Lie With Me. It will become a classic.' Jonathan Coe, bestselling author of Middle England'An intense, unforgettable novel, alive with the ache of longing and loss.' Sarah Waters, bestselling, award-winning author of The Little Stranger and Fingersmith'Devastating and tender; this is the book I wish I'd read when I was 15, and a book I'm glad to have as a companion now' Andrew McMillan, award-winning author of Physical'A deeply moving depiction of first love, both tender and elegiac.' John Boyne, bestselling author of A Ladder to the Sky and The Heart's Invisible Furies'A slender, sad, acute novel... absolutely excellent' Sarah Perry, bestselling author of The Essex Serpent and Melmoth'A tender, sensuous novel' New York Times Book Review 'Full of Proustian echoes, this story of gay adolescence deals with complex issues of class, shame and secrecy' Guardian'A poignant tale that captures the intensity of first love with all its sadness, longing and regret' Daily Mail'This novel can be read in a matter of hours, but its impact, like the love affair it details, will echo in the mind' Irish Times

Vincent comes of age in Paris in the summer of 1916.With German Zeppelins on the skyline, the men of Paris are off at war. For Vincent, the sixteen-year-old son of a prestigious family, the stillness of the city sits at odds with the candlelit salons he attends at night. Then an electrifying encounter with the enigmatic writer, Marcel P, draws Vincent’s desires out into the light, while his ever-riskier liaisons with a young solider begin to shape his future.As the First World War tightens its grip, In the Absence of Men captures the urgency of youth and the fragility of love in a world on the brink of catastrophe.'A short, bold and original novel which beautifully captures the romance and amorality of gilded youth' IndependentElegant novellas-in-translation, VINTAGE EDITIONS celebrate the audacity and ambition of the written word, transporting readers to wherever in the world literary innovation may be found.

Tell me, do you know why the most beautiful love stories must always end badly?In the summer of 1985, on the Île de Ré just off the west coast of France, six teenagers – five boys and one girl – band together for a final golden season before adulthood. Their days are drenched in sun and freedom, and their nights simmer with secrets, jealousy, and longing. Philippe is drawn to Nicolas, the quiet new boy who sees him in a way that noone else does. As their bond deepens, part of Nicolas remains unreachable – until a sudden tragedy brings their summer to a brutal end.The Summer Boy is a lush and unforgettable autobiographical tale, capturing the ineffable summers of youth in amber. Celebrated novelist Philippe Besson has shaped his memories into an aching meditation on how one summer night – and one fierce connection – can echo across a lifetime.