''Happening'' (french: L'Événement) is a 2000

memoir A memoir (; , ) is any nonfiction narrative writing based in the author's personal memories. The assertions made in the work are thus understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autobiog ...

Annie Ernaux Annie Thérèse Blanche Ernaux (; born 1 September 1940) is a French writer, professor of literature and Nobel laureate. Her literary work, mostly autobiographical, maintains close links with sociology. Ernaux was awarded the 2022 Nobel Prize ...

Synopsis

Set in 1963, four years before the legalization of oral contraception in France and twelve years before the Veil Act, the autobiographical narrative describes the troubles a young student faces when seeking out an illegal

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pre ...

. The story begins by depicting how she waited at

Lariboisière Hospital Lariboisière Hospital (french: Hôpital Lariboisière) is a hospital in the 10th arrondissement of Paris, France. The hospital was one of several built following the second cholera pandemic, which had reached Paris in 1832, and which led to a ...

for the result of a

serology Serology is the scientific study of serum and other body fluids. In practice, the term usually refers to the diagnostic identification of antibodies in the serum. Such antibodies are typically formed in response to an infection (against a given mic ...

examination for HIV and how she "burst out laughing" as the result was " negative". Following this she speaks about a similar gruelling experience of finding out her pregnancy and the consequences such as hiding it from her parents and public, searching for a doctor who would illegally abort the child, revealing pregnancy to some close ones for help in abortion and the horror of abortion itself, which is the rest of the book. Entries from her journal frame the events from the first three months of her pregnancy to the abortion and recovery.

Reception

Claire Devarrieux of '' Libération'' wrote that Ernaux's story "transcends individuality". Emily Eakin of ''

The New York Times Book Review ''The New York Times Book Review'' (''NYTBR'') is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to the Sunday edition of ''The New York Times'' in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely rea ...

'' wrote, "As subject matter goes, little could be more inherently provocative. Ernaux's take is all the more so for being unabashedly philosophical rather than moral."

Joy Press Joy Press (born 1966) is an American writer and editor. In the 1980s she was a music critic for American magazines and for the English weekly music paper ''Melody Maker''. In 1996 she became the editor of the ''Village Voice'' literary supplement, ...

of ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...

'' wrote, "Ernaux connects her experience to the wider world of class and religion and law, resulting in a startling, unusual portrait of how a vagina really lives in the world."

Film adaptation

In 2021, the book was adapted into a film of the same name, directed by

Audrey Diwan Audrey Diwan (born 1980) is a French film director of Lebanese origin. Prior to becoming a film director she worked as a journalist and a screenwriter. She is a member of Collectif 50/50, a French NGO promoting equality between men and women i ...

. The film had its world premiere at the

78th Venice International Film Festival The 78th annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 1 to 11 September 2021. South Korean director Bong Joon-ho was appointed as the President of the Jury, marking the first time a South Korean director has been picked as the festiv ...

where it received the top prize, the Golden Lion.

References

2000 non-fiction books French memoirs French novels adapted into films Books by Annie Ernaux Non-fiction literature about abortion Éditions Gallimard books Works set in the 1960s {{Memoir-stub