The Life Before Us ("Madame Rosa'') [Paperback]

Romain Gary (Author), Ralph Manheim (Translator), James Laughlin (Afterword)

Book Description

Series: Madame Rosa | Publication Date: February 17, 1986

The Life Before Us is the story of an orphaned Arab boy, Momo, and his devotion to Madame Rosa, a dying, 68-year-old, 220-lb. survivor of Auschwitz and retired "lady of the night."

Momo has been one of the ever-changing ragbag of whores' children at Madame Rosa's boardinghouse in Paris ever since he can remember. But when the check that pays for his keep no longer arrives and as Madame Rosa becomes too ill to climb the stairs to their apartment, he determines to support her any way he can.

This sensitive, slightly macabre love story between Momo and Madame Rosa has a supporting cast of transvestites, pimps, and witch doctors from Paris's immigrant slum, Belleville. Profoundly moving, The Life Before Us earned France's premier literary prize, the Prix Goncourt.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Macabre but beautiful, The Life Before Us is one of the all-time greats.” (Roslyn Fuller - Metro Eireann [Dublin] )

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: New Directions (February 17, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081120961X
• ISBN-13: 978-0811209618
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,507 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tears & Laughter, June 5, 2003

By 

"brinsonbooks" (Saint Petersburg, FL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Life Before Us ("Madame Rosa'') (Paperback)

This is by far the best book that I have read in a very long time. I wasn't familiar with Romain Gary until I read a little book called "Darkness Visible - A Memoir of Madness" by the great author William Styron. In "Darkness Visible" Styron describes his crippling depression and near suicide and speaks of Camus and Romain Gary with great affection. He knew Gary and his wife Jean Seberg. (Styron almost met Camus - he had a dinner engagement with him when he learned he was killed in an auto accident.) Styron saw Romain Gary in his deepest state of depression only to experience serious depression himself later. Styron was deeply affected when he found out that Jean had committed suicide and later so did Romain Gary. It is disturbing how we often lose so many of our great artists by their own hand. And Romain Gary was certainly one of the greatest.

In "The Life Before Us" Romain Gary tells the story of Madame Rosa from the viewpoint of little "Momo". This was the first time I had ever read a novel where I was literally laughing from humour and crying from sadness at the same time. It is amazing how the same exact sentence can inspire both humour and sadness. But Gary accomplished this and much more with this very touching novel. There are many tender Truths in this work. A touching quote: "'Monsieur Hamil, can somebody live without love?''Yes', he said, and bowed his head in shame. I burst into tears." Another is: "'It's where I hide when I'm afraid.' 'Afraid of what, Madame Rosa?' 'You don't need reasons to be afraid, Momo.' I've never forgotten those words, because they were the truest words I've ever heard."

This novel is about life and what it means to be human. It is profoundly touching, disturbing, sad, funny, and honest. You will look at the world differently after reading this novel. It is sad that Romain Gary is gone from our world, but my how he enriched it.

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars an eternal book, February 28, 2000

By 

silvia (Israel) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Life Before Us ("Madame Rosa'') (Paperback)

This is one of the best books I've ever read or ever will read! It tells the story of a young Arab kid (from his point of view)living with an aging ex-prostitute ,Rosa ,in paris. Rosa raises the children of prostitutes.I know it doesn't sound like much but believe me, you won't be sorry! It is almost a poetic book.It's certainly one of the most humain books you'll ever come across. People that read and loved "Angela's ashes" and "Cacher in the rye",will love this book also.The book is a little sad but most of the time it's very funny, it's a book about people,the little people.The author, Romain Gary is very well known all over Europe and it saddens me that he's almost anonimus in the states.He deserves the recognition in the states and the Americans deserve to know this great writer.I hope he will be published again and won't be out of print.In case you do want to read it,I think you can buy it at amazon.uk.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best novels written in the last thirty years, March 19, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Life Before Us ("Madame Rosa'') (Paperback)

I have never read this book in the English translation, but I am sure that in any language, the feeling of it is the same. It is the story of an Arab child being raised by an old Jewish woman. And through them, the most beautiful and unusual love story emerges. There are several dualities within the book (Jewish/Arabic, Rich/Poor,Young/Old) but the narrator, as he is a child, sees no conflict here. Through Momo's eyes, the rich and old, the young and poor, all merge together into a sad and beautiful universe which is uniquely his and Madame Rosa's. It is one of the most beautiful books I have ever read and if your French skills are even moderate, I highly recommend you pick up a copy of the French, La Vie Devant Soi.