The first selection of Goncourt, the most prestigious literary prize in the French-speaking world, has been postponed until September 15, the Goncourt academy announced on Monday.
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" Due to the exceptional conditions of the September literary season which followed months of a pandemic which had seriously disrupted the publication of books and sales in bookstores, the Goncourt academicians decided to postpone the announcement of the first selection to Tuesday, September 15 Goncourt 2020 initially scheduled for the start of the month, "the academy said in a statement. " The novels published until this date will thus be able to appear in this selection ", specified the academy chaired by Didier Decoin.
The second selection, reducing the list of novels from 15 to eight, or even nine titles, will take place on Tuesday October 6. The four finalists will be announced on Tuesday October 27 and the Goncourt 2020 prize awarded at Drouant Wednesday November 4.
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The French Academy had already announced last week that it would establish its first selection for the attribution of the Grand Prize for the novel on October 1 and its second selection, on October 15. The Grand Prize for the novel of the French Academy will be awarded on October 29.