Early 20th century French Literature?

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I know this sounds like a survey course for college freshmen, but I am truly interested in building a knowledge of this time/place in Literature. Can you give me some titles or authors you've enjoyed or feel are cornerstones of this time. Novels are my primary reading interest, but poetry and philosophy are welcome.

I've started reading Barbusse's "Inferno". I'm enjoying it so far.

Thank you.

― silence dogood, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 20:11 (eighteen years ago)

What period are you looking at? Pre-WWII or specifically the first 20 or 30 years of the century?

― Michael White, Wednesday, 28 March 2007 20:41 (eighteen years ago)

Off the top of my head...

Sartre's autobiography, 'Words', is a surprisingly funny look at the time
Alain-Fournier's 'Le Grand Meaulnes' (spelling?)
Barbusse's 'Under Fire' (WWI)
Francois Mauriac, esp the 'Therese' novels
Any Andre Gide

For the pop-culture of the time, try 'Fantomas' and 'Arsene Lupin, Gentleman-Thief' (the last of which I'm reading now)

― James Morrison, Wednesday, 28 March 2007 23:25 (eighteen years ago)

also Journey to the end of the night
by Louis-Ferdinand Celine
and any jean genet

― Zeno, Thursday, 29 March 2007 04:11 (eighteen years ago)

Early Simenon, both Maigret novels and otherwise
The pre-'Suite Francaise' novels by Irene Nemirovsky that are now being republished ('David Golder', for example)

― James Morrison, Thursday, 29 March 2007 12:10 (eighteen years ago)

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