Book Club: Astragal by Albertine Sarrazin

In September, the Albertine Book Club will discuss Albertine Sarrazin’s Astragal, translated from the French by Patsy Southgateand and published by New Directions.

As if the reader were riding shotgun, this intensely vivid novel captures a life on the lam. “L’Astragale” is the French word for the ankle bone Albertine Sarrazin’s heroine Anne breaks as she leaps from her jail cell to freedom. As she drags herself down the road, away from the prison walls, she is rescued by Julien, a small-time criminal who keeps her hidden. They fall in love. Fear of capture, memories of her prison cell, claustrophobia in her hideaways: every detail is fiercely felt.

Albertine Members will receive a Zoom invitation to join this book club session via email.