Ferdinand et les Iconoclastes

Synopsis of Ferdinand et les Iconoclastes

«Ferdinand et les Iconoclastes» is the novel by Valérie Tong Cuong, published by Grasset & Fasquelle in paperback (369 pages, in French).

The novel follows Ferdinand Bataille, a young man hired by HBMB, a cosmetics giant, until he becomes one of its executives. His personality oscillates between the ruthless executive who cuts costs and the vulnerable idealist who questions the meaning of life. His friendship with the Iconoclasts, a group of scientists, leads him to consider how to reconcile work and utopia in a globalized world.

Originally published in France in March 2003, the work has been considered a realistic satire of the corporate world and a utopian reflection on the future of work.

For readers of contemporary French fiction with an interest in social criticism, the corporate world, and workplace utopias.