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Why did Anne Ernault, who took herself as the starting point of her writing, reverse her writing perspective and focus on the outside world? The answer lies in this social observation record spanning seven years (1993-1999). From the war in Bosnia to social issues such as poverty and AIDS, from the terrorist attacks on the Paris subway to subtle interactions with ordinary store clerks, Ernault attempts to reach the reality of an era by capturing a large number of snapshots of people's daily lives. The feeling of time passing does not come from ourselves. It comes from outside, from children growing up, from neighbors who move away, from those who grow old and die. --"The Life Outside" "The Life Outside" is a perfect example of the reason for the existence of the act of writing. --"Le Monde"

In 2011, Anne Ernault was interviewed by female documentary director Michelle Porte at Serge's home, where she writes daily. No writer better fits the premise of this interview than Ernault: the place where we grow up and live is the real-life context in which writing takes root. In this interview, Ernault discusses the connection between her life and writing, the birth of her desire to write, and the social, political, and mythological significance she attributes to her writing. How to look at life from a writer's perspective? Why are there works of this style? Why must we write about life? What does literature mean? Through the author's own answers to these questions in the book, readers can have a more comprehensive and in-depth understanding of her works.

Ernault began writing in 1974. Most of her works draw themes from her own experiences, so her writing and life are closely integrated. She has published about 15 works so far, including "The Empty Wardrobe" (1974), which depicts a woman's inner journey; "Position" (1984), a first-person recollection of her father, which won the Renaudeau Prize; and "Reminiscences of her mother". "A Woman" (1987); "Pure Passion" (1992), which recalls childhood; "Shame" (1997), "The Incident" (2000), which recalls abortion, and "Occupy" (2002), which depicts jealousy, etc. As soon as this book was published, it won the Duras Literary Award in France that year. Adopting the method of "untitled autobiography" actually prompts others to recall while remembering oneself, reflecting the evolution of the times with people's shared experiences, thus arousing strong resonance in people's hearts. From big things like international affairs, to small things like food and clothing, family gatherings, and even personal privacy, everything is simple and vivid. Reflecting the process of the world through personal experience actually writes collective memory. The novel spans sixty years, so readers of all ages can find the content they are most familiar with and the clearest memories in it.