Michel Houellebecq is one of the most widely read French writers in the world, the author of the renowned bestsellers 'The Elementary Particles,' 'Platform,' 'Submission,' and 'Serotonin.' He is a winner of the Prix Goncourt and a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor. His new novel, 'Destroy,' is set in 2027. Humanity is threatened by an elusive terrorist organization, and all intelligence agencies are on alert. Meanwhile, preparations for the presidential elections are in full swing in France. The book's protagonist, Paul Reason, finds himself at the center of pre-election intrigue. Absorbed in his work in the office of the Minister of the Economy, he has long been accustomed to a frosty relationship with his wife and to his loneliness. Suddenly, his measured pace of existence is disrupted: he receives news that his father has suffered a stroke. Paul goes to his father's childhood home and plunges into the family's problems. His life changes dramatically... The novel's multi-layered plot unfolds on two planes: it is simultaneously a political thriller and a family saga in a world on the brink of chaos.