Journey to the End of the NightJourney to the End of the Night
Score Classic
What it's about
Ferdinand Bardamu, a cynical, largely autobiographical antihero, travels from the trenches of the First World War to colonial Africa, to New York and the Ford factory in Detroit, and back to a medical practice in the Paris slums. Everywhere he finds stupidity, cruelty and hypocrisy, and he describes them in furious, explosive language.
Why it's worth reading
It's in the Bokklubben World Library of the 100 greatest books and on Le Monde's list of the 100 books of the century. It changed French literature and influenced writers from Kerouac to Heller.
You'll love it if you liked
Catch-22
All Quiet on the Western Front
Slaughterhouse-FiveGood to know
It's bleak, angry and long. Céline later became a notorious antisemite, which colors how many readers approach him.
By the numbers
- Readers61 out of 100 · counts 42%
- Critics55 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
- Bestseller35 out of 100 · counts 14%
- Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%
Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.
Where it ranks
Why it made the list
Reads as
Moving, Dark
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To Kill a Mockingbird
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1984
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A Brief History of TimeExplore the best-of lists
All 36 best-of lists →
Quick answers
Is Journey to the End of the Night worth reading?
Yes. It's in the Bokklubben World Library of the 100 greatest books and on Le Monde's list of the 100 books of the century. It ranks #860 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 74.4 (the best book we found scores 99).
What is Journey to the End of the Night about?
Ferdinand Bardamu, a cynical, largely autobiographical antihero, travels from the trenches of the First World War to colonial Africa, to New York and the Ford factory in Detroit, and back to a medical practice in the Paris slums. Everywhere he finds stupidity, cruelty and hypocrisy, and he describes them in furious, explosive language.
How long does it take to read Journey to the End of the Night?
About 12 hours (468 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.
What should I read after Journey to the End of the Night?
If you liked it, try Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque or Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr..