This is the same every time, and each time different. This year four authors are vying for the Goncourt. The four successful novels evoke some way relations between East and West. “A chance” said Bernard Pivot in recent days. As every year the forecasts have gone well underway. But nothing has filtered.
Journalists await the winners of the Goncourt before the Drouant
© Laurence Houot / Culturebox
Today like every year the street is invaded by a cohort of febrile journalists. The cameraman and photographers, first hand, waiting for the bottom of the stairs where it is tradition, formally pronounced the winners (in a whisper because half the time the microphone is off). But this time it is said that will not happen to have and when Didier Decoin is set to make his announcement, that fuse: “The micro Microphone Switch the microphone Decoin sir!”. Smiling he complies. And miraculously, all the assembly clearly hear what earlier decided in secret vote: the Goncourt was awarded to Mathias Enard for his novel “compass”, elected in the first round with 6 votes. The Renaudot goes to Delphine de Vigan for “Based on a True Story” (JC Lattes).
Françoise Nyssen the patroness of Actes Sud made the marshals
So far so good. Pending the arrival of the winners on the outside (as it is the tradition), we tweet, we announce, we comment … With a little experience, you can feel when the Goncourt is happening: tremors , rumors, set in motion. Today is the arrival of Françoise Nyssen, the owner of Actes Sud, which launches the starting signal. The pack rushes. Hesitations, we do not know what car Mathias Énard will arise. Stampede. The agents are set up. Roped. “Stand back!” they launch. But nothing stops the pack, as if moved by an autonomous force.
Françoise Nyssen , Actes Sud owner, made the marshals arriving from Mathias Énard
© Laurence Houot / Culturebox
Françoise Nyssen does not hesitate to the stewards, arms crossed. She pushes, she implores: “Let it happen Stand back!” When asked if it was converted into a traffic cop smiled “I try to help him!”. Well, a few meters we earned. Mathias Énard out of the vehicle, he smiled, and then, carried away by the wave of journalists in reverse, it loose. “! It’s nice,” before disappearing in the den of his coronation
Mathias Énard Goncourt in 2015 for “Compass” (Actes Sud), smiling at her arrival at Drouant restaurant
© Laurence Houot / Culturebox
So far so good. It happens pretty much as usual. The freshmen aback complain. “I almost broke my face,” sighs a young journalist who inaugurates first Goncourt.
It follows the movement. And that’s when it goes bad. Down the small staircase that leads to the famous oval room, two guards intractable, let in journalists in dropper. After half an hour wait, they announce that jurors lunch. Door closed. Apparently there, Mathias Énard said he was “extremely happy” (We will not know more).
Good. We try our luck at the other stairs. Luckily, Didier Decoin is there anyone who will explain the reasons that led to the choice of novel Mathias Énard. (Because this circus, it’s nice, but we would still like to hear a little about literature).
A Goncourt “to fly very high”
‘C’ not all such years, “he begins. (Yes, finally, in terms of hustle, a little anyway). “This year, it was very difficult to decide,” he continues. “We had four novels deserving Goncourt. So we discussed the idea of giving a Goncourt could fly very high. We said Mathias Énard is young. He is 42 years old. He already has had a work. This is a writer who remain in the history of literature, “said Didier Decoin. “It was also said that it was good for the Goncourt. Because we think that in 20 years, will be remembered” Compass “and then also the other argument is that the novel Mathias Énard speaks of the East other than Daech, or violence. He speaks of a bright East, solar is the Arabian Nights, is a sumptuous East, and we thought it was deserved also for the Eastern rehabilitated in the literature, “he says.
Asked whether this novel is not too elitist Didier Decoin replied that the Goncourt jury of trust readers. “Even young, when we take them to living authors, they accept to discover and read with pleasure the most demanding literature,” he concludes.
Photo session before the Drouant to Delphine de Vigan, Renaudot prize in 2015 with “Based on a True Story (JC Lattes)
© Laurence Houot / Culturebox
For the detours of a staircase, while the pack waiting outside its release, we cross Delphine de Vigan, who entrusts us to be delighted with her Renaudot prize. “J ‘heard the news from my publisher to get off the train! I returned a signature Croisic “says the author of” Based on a true story. “The novelist is said especially pleased that this novel was her bet.” This is a very different book Happy with what I have written so far. It is a blend of contemporary literature code. And he talks about the backstage of creation. I am very pleased that my approach was heard, “concludes novelist prior to lend to the traditional photo session in front of the restaurant.
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