A selection of France's best contemporary writers

The undisputed star, and enfant terrible, of modern French literature, Michel Houellebecq writes novels such as "Platform" and "Submission" that continually provoke public debate about capitalism, religion and sexual politics. Houellebecq will attend the Frankfurt fair with his new book, "In Schopenhauer's Presence," which describes how the German philosopher has long inspired the French author.

Sometimes referred to as the female Houellebecq, Virginie Despentes has also been writing provocative novels for over two decades. She is best-known for "Baise-moi," her rape and revenge novel from 1993 that she also made into a cult film. Her autobiographical book, "King Kong Theory," recounts her time in the sex industry. She comes to Frankfurt with her novel trilogy, "Vernon Subutex."

Next to Despentes, Yasmina Reza is among France's best-known female writers. She has penned several internationally lauded plays, including "God of Carnage," which was also adapted into an award-winning film by Roman Polanski. More recently, Reza has found success as a novelist. Her new book, "Babylon," plays again to Reza's strengths with its satirical take on bourgeois societal manners.

French-Moroccan novelist Leïla Slimani was awarded France's top literary prize, the Goncourt, in 2016 with "Chanson douce" (translated as "Sweet Song"), her novel about a nanny with a deadly agenda. Born in 1981, the novelist and journalist first gained attention with her debut, "Dans le Jardin de l'Ogre" ("In the Ogre's Garden"), that portrays the demise of a sex addict.

Still only 24, Édouard Louis has taken the French literary scene by storm with politically charged, autobiographical novels that explicitly reveal his own experience growing up queer among the underclasses of rural France. Following his breakout success, "The End of Eddy," Louis comes to Frankfurt to promote "History of Violence," an English translation of which will be released in 2018.

Born in 1953, Didier Eribon was long one of France's most famous sociologists until his 2009 book, "Return to Reims," an exploration of his working class origins (and the homophobia he faced), also made him a literary heavyweight – and inspired upcoming novelist Édouard Louis. His new book is called "Society as a Judgment," which also deals with class and identity.

Somewhat like Didier Eribon, the autobiographical works of the author Annie Ernaux also derive from a sociological view of the world – and her experiences growing up in small town France. Her highly personal accounts of family, affairs, abortions and breast cancer have also been distilled into "The Years," a best-selling and highly acclaimed memoir that will be published in English next month.

Following the success of her award-winning breakout novel, "No et moi" (No and Me), about a special friendship between two very different teenage girls, Delphine de Vigan has since confirmed her literary renown with the fictional memoir "Nothing Holds Back the Night," which won over critics when published in English in 2014. Her latest novel is a psychological thriller, "Based on a True Story."