French Embassy starts French book section

To bridge the cultural gap between France and West Bengal, the French Embassy has come up with a French book section at the Oxford bookstore here.
The gallery in the over 90-year-old Oxford Bookstore brings together classic and contemporary French literature - fiction and non-fiction as well as French translations of some of the most celebrated works of Indian literature and specifically of Bengali literature.
Max Claudet, Counsellor for Culture and Cooperation, Embassy of France, said it was important not only for French tourists but also for Indian students learning French to have access to contemporary literature.
"Translations of Indian authors are well known in France. Reading contemporary literature makes you understand what people in that country are thinking and how they are changing," he said.

Starting out with over 100 French titles, the French book list is curated by the French Book Office of the embassy, Oxford Bookstore Director Maina Bhagat said.