Why people recommend it
The Adversary by Emmanuel Carrère is a chilling true-crime narrative that chronicles the life and horrific crimes of Jean-Claude Romand, a French man who murdered his entire family after lying to them about his career for decades. On The Book Review podcast, the book was featured in episodes such as The World of Jane Austen Fans, Chaos Among Spies After the Berlin Wall Crumbles, A Marine’s Inventive Memoir, and The Fire Next Time. Jennifer Szalai and Molly Young both recommended the true-crime book, with Young identifying it as the author's breakout work and Szalai turning to it after reading his previous writings, noting it as the book for which he is most famous. Pamela Paul also discussed reading the category-defying book, expressing playful regret at bringing up a familiar name to listeners, while John Williams mentioned reading the title later in the year after hearing Szalai talk about it. Together, these hosts and critics underscored the unsettling power of Carrère's investigative narrative, praising its deep psychological insight into a master deceiver and recommending it as an essential entry point into the author's compelling literary output.
Who recommended it
- Jennifer Szalai Recommended
- John Williams Discussed
- Pamela Paul Discussed
- Molly Young Recommended
Jennifer Szalai — 1 mention
“usually when I order new things after this book I started reading the adversary which is probably the book I think he's perhaps most famous for which is a true story about a man in France Jean clae romal”
John Williams — 1 mention
“yeah exactly there's nothing more fitting to to wrap up the year with and but I'm reading his book The adversary which I think Jen salai talked about earlier in the year”
Pamela Paul — 1 mention
“I read a book that is also kind of defies categories that I finished this week Emanuel carer a familiar name to listeners of this podcast I I regret to say I'm bringing back um I know I I read the adversary”
Molly Young — 1 mention
“I would start with the adversary which is his breakout”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“and then he goes on to talk about his book that adversary which was about the man who killed his entire family”