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Cover of Lie with Me by Philippe Besson

Lie with Me

by Philippe Besson

A writer looks back on the boy he loved and the fear that made an honest shared life impossible.

Published
2017
Setting
France
Era
Shelf rating
4.5

The story, briefly

Spoiler-free

A writer remembers a secret teenage relationship in provincial France. One boy can imagine sexuality becoming part of an honest life; the other cannot escape the expectations surrounding him.

What's inside

An adult narrator returns to a hidden adolescent love and the different futures fear made for the two boys.

Why we recommend it

  1. Love defeated by fear

    Its tragedy is not a failure to love, but a failure to live honestly with that love.

What this book explores

Book editions

Paperback
Paperback

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References

References

The sources below include the primary text, editions, scholarship, archival materials, and other records that informed this page. They document Lie with Me, its publication, and its place in literary history.

  1. 1Lie with Me — Open Library ISBN catalogue

    Official record
    Open Library, Internet Archive
    Used for

    Open Library ISBN catalogue used to verify the title, ISBN, and publication metadata.

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  2. 2Lie with Me — Google Books edition record

    Official record
    Google Books
    Used for

    Google Books catalogue record used to cross-check the title and edition metadata.

    View source

  1. 3Lie with Me — Internet Archive ISBN catalogue

    Official record
    Internet Archive
    Used for

    Internet Archive ISBN catalogue used to cross-check the edition and its availability in library holdings.

    View source

  2. 4Lie with Me — Library of Congress books catalogue

    Official record
    Library of Congress
    Used for

    Library of Congress books catalogue used to cross-check the bibliographic record by ISBN.

    View source
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Why these sources are here

The primary text is the baseline reference for every book page. Additional references document publication history, interpretation, and historical context where that evidence is available.

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