BOOK BRIEF

Life: A User's Manual

Georges Perec
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Life: A User's Manual

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1988

Book Brief

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Georges Perec

Life: A User's Manual

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1988
Book Details
Pages

581

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Paris, France • 1970s

Publication Year

1988

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Life: A User's Manual by Georges Perec intricately explores the lives of residents in a Parisian apartment building. Each chapter delves into individual stories and interconnections, creating a complex portrait of urban existence. Perec crafts a puzzle-like narrative, highlighting the impact of people, objects, and histories in a confined space.

Mysterious

Contemplative

Bittersweet

Melancholic

Gritty

Reviews & Readership

4.3

9,847 ratings

78%

Loved it

14%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Georges Perec's Life: A User's Manual is praised for its intricate narrative and structural ingenuity, reflecting a microcosm of human experience. Readers appreciate its detailed character portraits and playful storytelling. However, some find its complexity daunting, potentially alienating those who favor linear plots. It is a literary puzzle that rewards patience and attention to detail.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Life: A User's Manual?

A reader who enjoys Life: A User's Manual by Georges Perec would appreciate intricate narratives, detailed settings, and experimental structures. Fans of Calvino's If on a Winter's Night a Traveler or Joyce's Ulysses would find Perec's novel engaging for its inventive style and layered storytelling.

4.3

9,847 ratings

78%

Loved it

14%

Mixed feelings

7%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

581

Format

Novel • Fiction

Setting

Paris, France • 1970s

Publication Year

1988

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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