Formidable French writers and ‘public enemies’ Michel Houllebecq and Henri-Bernard Levy unite in this intellectually dynamic and yet intimate collection of letters. These are the men who penned bestselling titles Átomised *and *Barbarism with a Human Face respectively. Expansive minds are vividly revealed, as well as egos (‘no confession can ever exhaust the indefinite richness of my personality’ says Houellebecq) and the fascinating public and private worlds of the writers.

From distinct theoretical standpoints, the writers broach topics such as: the life of the writer (and its discontents), political commitment (or a lack thereof), and childhood memories and the psychological traces left by their forbears, often against a weighty backdrop of Western philosophy and particle physics. The driving force behind their correspondence is in the determination between the men to find common ground despite ideological differences, and in doing so give sustenance to a newly formed friendship. This endeavour also serves to silence their detractors and shatter their reputation as public enemies.

For many readers and TV viewers in their native country, the creative and intellectual egos and opinions of these men of letters have proven too unbearable to withstand. Here, Houellebecq and Levy, in a confessed bid to be liked, have provided some amusing admissions of their vulnerabilities and less-than-noble qualities. Given the hypothetical situation of war and being called upon to fight in resistance to oppressive forces, Houellebecq, the anti-hero, maintains that, ‘At the first opportunity, I would quite simply do a runner. I would join the vast throng of those who fought little and badly.’

Houellebecq’s literary flair (and humour) and the startling erudition of Levy, combined with some heated disputes and their resolution, make for scintillating reading. This is a must-read for fans of Atomised and *Platform *– and of contemporary French thought more generally.

Luisa Childs is from Readings Carlton