Zindigī dar pīsh-i rū Persian 2019

“The Life Before Us” (La Vie devant soi) is a moving and influential novel by Romain Gary that tells the story of a profound and humane relationship between Momo, an orphaned immigrant boy, and Madame Rosa, an elderly woman and Holocaust survivor of Auschwitz. Momo, who has lived since childhood in Madame Rosa’s home in a poor neighborhood of Paris, decides to take responsibility for caring for her as her physical condition deteriorates and she becomes increasingly vulnerable.

The novel presents an intimate, painful, and yet deeply hopeful portrayal of people living on the margins of society: immigrants, the poor, the elderly, and those whose lives often remain unseen. Through a humanistic perspective and a style blending humor with sorrow, Romain Gary creates a world in which love, compassion, and loyalty can retain their meaning even under the harshest conditions.

Beyond the emotional bond between Momo and Madame Rosa, “The Life Before Us” offers a social critique of French society’s treatment of immigrants, the marginalized, and the elderly. Through a different portrayal of Paris, the author gives voice to communities that are often left at the edges of social and historical narratives.

The novel received the Prix Goncourt, France’s most prestigious literary award, in 1975, and later became one of the enduring works of French literature.

Romain Gary (1914–1980), born Roman Kacew, was a French writer, diplomat, and aviator. He is considered one of the major French authors of the twentieth century. He published works under both his real name and various pseudonyms. The publication of “The Life Before Us” under the pseudonym Émile Ajar made him the only writer to have received the Prix Goncourt twice. His works are known for their exploration of themes such as identity, migration, war, loneliness, and the complexities of human existence.