Drop-In Book Discussion: The Life Before Us, by Emile Ajar (Romain Gary)
Join us for an in-person discussion at the Jewish Community Library, facilitated by Jim Van Buskirk. The Library is located at 1835 Ellis Street in San Francisco, with free garage parking on Pierce between Ellis and Eddy.
To register, click here. You may borrow a copy of The Life Before Us at no charge. Contact us at info@jewishcommunitylibrary.org.
About the book:
The Life Before Us is the story of an orphaned Arab boy, Momo, and his devotion to Madame Rosa, an ailing Jewish survivor of Auschwitz and retired “lady of the night.” Momo has been one of the ever-changing group of prostitutes’ children at Madame Rosa’s boarding-house in Paris ever since he can remember. But when the check that pays for his keep no longer arrives and Madame Rosa becomes too ill to climb the stairs to their apartment, he determines to support her any way he can. Written by Romain Gary under the pseudonym of Émile Ajar, this novel won France’s premiere literary prize, the Prix Goncourt, in 1975, making Gary the only author to have won the Goncourt twice (albeit illicitly).
About the facilitator:
Jim Van Buskirk is a retired librarian (San Francisco Public Library, Jewish Community Library) who currently works as a book group facilitator, writer, editor, public speaker, exhibit curator, and collections manager. He frequently writes articles and/or presents programs related to Jewish, literary, film, and/or queer history. He also leads Death Cafes and other programs encouraging participants to speak openly about death.