The second Café Littéraire took place on 14 February, with participants discussing the book ‘Fond de l'oeil’ (back of the eye) with its author Amaury da Cunha. As the 2020 laureate of the Randell Cottage Writers’ Residence organised in partnership with the Embassy of France in Wellington, Da Cunha is spending five months working in Wellington. 'Fond de l'oeil’ is a collection of short stories exploring the concept of the ‘photographic image’, and was published while Da Cunha worked as photo editor for the newspaper Le Monde.

The Café Littéraire is an open reading and discussion group about literature in French. All are welcome to come and share reading experiences, drink coffee and engage in interesting discussions about literature. Café Littéraire at Victoria University of Wellington is supported by the School of Languages and Cultures, the French Society, the Embassy of France in Wellington and the Alliance Française of Wellington.

The next Café Littéraire will be held at Vic Books and Café at 3pm, 20 March and will discuss Patricia Grace’s Chappy which has been translated into French by Associate Professor Jean Anderson. Find out more on the Café Littéraire website or contact the group’s creator, School of Languages and Cultures lecturer Dr Yuri Cerqueira dos Anjos.

Listen to a recording of the second Café Littéraire.

Article: Benjamin Swale