In 1963 23yearold literature student Annie Ernaux realized she was pregnantby a man she was no longer seeing. As the first collegeeducated person in afamily of ... » 

In 1963 23yearold literature student Annie Ernaux realized she was pregnantby a man she was no longer seeing. As the first collegeeducated person in afamily of storekeepers she regarded her pregnancy as a social failure.Unsuccessful in her attempt to abort the baby herself with a knitting needleshe sought an abortionist who carried out the task in a sordid Parisapartment. After expelling the fetus in a dormitory bathroom Ernaux suffered ahemorrhage and nearly died.Happening revisits a trauma Ernaux has never overcome. Forty years later shegathers the details of this experience from memories and journal entriestransforming the suffering guilt shame and selfhate into universalhappenings. «