A second defection after that of Bernard Pivot in early December. The novelist Virginie Despentes announced on Monday that she was resigning from the Goncourt academy. Four years after joining the jury for the most prestigious literary prize in the French-speaking world, the author wants to have more time to write.
“I have a simple problem today: I don't have enough time to write. By accepting to join the academy, I had both overestimated my work capacities and underestimated the commitment that the jury requires… ”, explained the author of“ Vernon Subutex ”to her peers.
The resignation of Virginie Despentes, 50, the youngest member of the Goncourt Academy jury, comes a month after that of its president, Bernard Pivot. The Goncourt academy said in a press release that the writer had announced her intention to resign to the other members of the jury on December 4.
"Very attached to his warm personality, his open vision of literature, we deeply regret his departure but, writers before being readers, understand his approach and respect it," said the academy.
"I already envy the one who will replace me"
"The Goncourt Academy is demanding, it requires a regular and active presence, frequent participation in cultural events and of course months of readings which often require us to put our personal work in parentheses", recognizes the institution. "Virginie Despentes has an important work to pursue and it is legitimate that she wants to protect it," said the academy.
In her letter, the novelist indicates that her choice to leave the academy was taken with "sincere sadness". But, she adds, "I have several writing projects that have fallen behind, which I now want to make my priority."
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“I am relocating to Barcelona and want to work there without the academic calendar imposing repeated trips to and from Paris. I will miss your company. I already envy the one who will replace me because I now know the pleasure of discovering the functioning of this academy and the mutual benevolence that reigns there. Long live Goncourt, ”concludes the writer.
