Francofest2025 / Newmag presents Pascal Bruckner’s novel “My Little Husband” (trailer)

Belonging to the genre of imaginative fiction, “My Little Husband” offers a surreal exploration of human relationships and their contradictions. Through the story of Léon, the protagonist, Bruckner masterfully unveils the hidden tensions and absurdities within love, marriage, and family life.

The novel is inspired by a traditional French folk song about a little husband, which Bruckner transforms into a sharp, humorous, and symbolic modern fable:

“My father married me off,
My God, what a husband,
What a man, so small...
I lost my husband
In our giant bed.
My God, what a man,
Such a small man.”

In this extraordinary tale, a man of 1.66 meters gradually shrinks by 39 centimeters with the birth of each child, until, after the fourth, he becomes a ten-centimeter-tall miniature being. This physical transformation serves as a metaphor for the diminishing role of men in modern society and the family. Bruckner presents this shrinking not merely as a comical fantasy, but as a philosophical reflection on gender, parenthood, and identity.

Critics view the novel as a philosophical parable, suggesting that in an age dominated by maternal authority, men risk becoming the most unnecessary members of society. At the same time, the book is a meditation on generations, each new child symbolically taking away a fragment of their parent’s vitality.

Drawing on the satirical traditions of Swift and Rabelais, Bruckner uses bodily transformation as a lens to explore social and existential questions. His writing stands out for its sharp humor, imaginative language, and biting irony:

“Being a mistress of ridiculing people, Solange erased the words ‘dwarf,’ ‘little man,’ from her vocabulary, and imposed this rule on everyone who entered her house. Even the expression ‘little man’ was no longer considered proper.”

Pascal Bruckner is one of France’s most influential contemporary thinkers. Raised in a household divided between his father’s far-right convictions and his mother’s deep Catholic faith, he often says that “only philosophy helps to escape the ordinary.” His novels and essays, often blending politics, love, and satire, critique the contradictions of modern Western society. Frequently referred to as the “philosopher of love,” Bruckner is also a member of the Goncourt Academy, and in 2024, he personally announced the establishment of Goncourt Armenia.

The Armenian translation of “My Little Husband” was completed by Gohar Amirbekyan. The presentation of “My Little Husband” will take place on November 15 at 4:30 PM at the Congress Hotel, as part of Francofest 2025. The event will feature a conversation with the author, Pascal Bruckner, moderated by Artak Aleksanyan, Head of Newmag.