The Alliance Française de Pasadena will host a virtual book club discussion of Sophie Brocas’s novel “Le baiser” on Tuesday afternoon, inviting participants to explore a contemplative work about the quiet upheavals in an ordinary life.
Set in contemporary France, the novel follows a woman whose seemingly settled existence begins to feel uncertain, drawing her into a process of self-examination.
As memories and present experiences intertwine, familiar relationships and long-held choices are gently unsettled, revealing “the delicate boundary between comfort, desire, and unspoken longing”.
The novel engages with themes of intimacy, self-questioning, emotional restraint, and the silent compromises that shape a life.
Through precise and understated language, Brocas captures fleeting moments of doubt in which a person confronts the distance between who they are and who they might become.
The organization promises “a rich and engaging discussion of this powerful work, shaped by an atmosphere that is both poetic and dramatic”.
Founded in 1924, the Alliance Française de Pasadena ranks among the oldest chapters of the global French cultural network still operating in the United States.
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit operates as both a language school and cultural center, offering French classes, certifications, and regular cultural events.
Charity Navigator gives the organization a four-out-of-four-star rating.
February Book Club: Le baiser by Sophie Brocas will run on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 1 p.m. Via Zoom, hosted by Alliance Française de Pasadena, 232 N. Lake Ave., Suite 105, Pasadena. For more information, call (833) 386-3911 or visit https://www.afdepasadena.org/event-detail/?eventId=681#/. Ticket prices: $5 ; Free for members ; $10 suggested donation.
