1937

Man's Hope
André Malraux · 1901–1976 · France
Originally L'Espoir (French)
Why it matters
Republican pilots, peasants, and intellectuals improvise a defense of Madrid in the opening months of the Spanish Civil War. Malraux's sprawling, urgent novel of political action, written from his own time flying for the Republic.
At a glance
war novelpolitical novel
Difficulty 6/10medium pace512 pagesA large cast and fragmented battlefield chronology across a sprawling canvas.
Where to go next
André Malraux · 1933Man's FateLvl 6Medium pace
Simone de Beauvoir · 1954The MandarinsLvl 6Slow burn
Louis-Ferdinand Céline · 1932Journey to the End of the NightLvl 6Fast paced
Roger Martin du Gard · 1940The ThibaultsLvl 6Slow burn
Claude Simon · 1960The Flanders RoadLvl 9Slow burn
David Diop · 2018At Night All Blood Is BlackLvl 5Fast paced