Book description
Over seven decades, from 1940 to 2010, the pieds-noirs Cassars live in an itinerant state-separated in the chaos of World War II, running from a complicated colonial homeland, and, after Algerian independence, without a homeland at all. This Strange Eventful History, told with historical sweep, is above all a family…
Why read it?
3 authors picked This Strange Eventful History as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
A fictitious history of the sweet sadness of life of a pied-noir family (French family with ties to Algeria) displaced after World War II.
The novel immersed me into a world and a family across time and space.
A sweeping family saga of a French Algerian family, who are pied noirs--people of European descent who lived in Algeria during French colonial rule from 1830-1962.
I was swept along by the story of a family torn apart by World War II and then displaced in the diaspora. Although Messud's family isn't Jewish, their story reminded me of my family and our journey in the diaspora.
The sheer scope of the time period covered, the emotional range of the characters and their lives, and the sumptuousness of Messud's language were just glorious. It was a feast of a book.
If you love This Strange Eventful History...
These Blue Mountains
A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.
German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…
Want books like This Strange Eventful History?
Our community of 12,000+ authors has personally recommended 100 books like This Strange Eventful History.
Share your top 3 reads of 2025!
And get a beautiful page showing off your 3 favorite reads.
1,340
readers submitted
so far, will you?
📚 If you like This Strange Eventful History, you might also like...
Miami Beat
Jose Castillo is a cynical, wise-cracking Cuban-American who restores classic cars. He’s also a private eye whose sarcastic ways sometimes get him into trouble.
One day, in the process of installing a four-barrel carburetor on a 1965 Mustang, into his shop walks trouble—in the shape of a mysterious, beautiful woman…
Bruce Songs
Bruce Songs is an authoritative guide that offers an in-depth exploration of Bruce Springsteen's musical legacy. Covering Springsteen's entire discography, from "Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J." to "Only the Strong Survive", this unique book combines historical context, literary analysis, and meticulous research.
Unlike any other resource, it provides detailed analyses…
