The Life Before Us

For the film see Madame Rosa

The Life Before Us (1975; French: La vie devant soi) is a novel by French author Romain Gary who wrote it under the pseudonym of "Emile Ajar". It was originally published in English as Momo then re-published in 1986 as The Life Before Us. It won the Prix Goncourt prize the same year it was published.

Synopsis

Momo, a young boy, tells the story of his life when living with Madame Rosa and the love that he feels for the mother that she has become. Both Madame Rosa and Momo grow together as they go about their daily lives. It is up to the young Momo to stand by his impromptu mother as she lives her final days.

Adaptations

The novel has been adapted for cinema by Moshé Mizrahi in 1977 and for television by Myriam Boyer in 2010, who also plays Madame Rosa.