The same book should receive only one literary prize, in the interest of booksellers, told AFP the president of the Goncourt Academy, Didier Decoin, who heads the jury due to award the most prestigious of these awards on Wednesday. .
“
We must not forget our friends and allies, the booksellers.
If we give two prices to a single book, that only makes one book in the window,
”said Didier Decoin on Saturday, even if the Académie Goncourt has not always followed this recommendation.
Read also The winners of the literary grand prizes have an appointment in Brive
For proof: the precedents of Andreï Makine, Prix Goncourt et Médicis in 1995, and Patrick Rambaud, Prix Goncourt and Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française in 1997. Among the four finalists of Goncourt 2021, figure Christine Angot who comes to obtain the Medici prize for "Le Voyage dans l'Est" (Flammarion).
On the other hand, the three other novels in the running have not yet been awarded: “
Enfant de bastard
” by Sorj Chalandon (Grasset), “
Milwaukee Blues
” by Louis-Philippe Dalembert (Sabine Wespieser) and “
The most secret memory of men
” by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr (Philippe Rey).
Read also Angot, Chalandon, Dalembert or Sarr: who will win the 2021 Goncourt prize?
“
So you have to think before you vote, on all the parameters, and in particular this one.
It is not in the name of commerce, but in the interests of a profession which is horribly difficult.
I take into account the arduous nature of this job.
And even if I still hesitate a few days before the poll, I will think of booksellers anyway
, ”detailed the president of the jury.
After the Goncourt delivery on Wednesday, back at the Drouant restaurant after the 2020 health crisis, Mr. Decoin will chair the Brive-la-Gaillarde Book Fair, in Corrèze, from November 5 to 7.
“
I chose, since we have the freedom to choose a theme, to talk about the sea and adventure, and about literature with an open window.
This is not a reproach that I do to anyone, but literature sometimes tends to look at the navel, and to live curled up like a cat in its basket,
”he explained.
The four Goncourt finalists have confirmed their presence, among the 300 or so authors invited to this literary meeting.
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