We did not airlift it to the roof of the Royal Monceau-Rafles, in the 17th arrondissement of Paris, but we are not far from it. Train canceled, so plane, then motorcycle taxi slaloming between trucks and roundabouts… Strike forces, to come from his native Helvetia, Joël Dicker had to pulverize his carbon footprint. It is that on this Wednesday, March 8, about twenty of his pen mates were waiting for him for the traditional annual photo of the big winners of the previous year. Or, for the 2022 vintage, and in order, Dicker, da Empoli, Lemaitre, Musso, Despentes, Houellebecq, Giraud, etc. Not all of them are there, held back by professional occupations or prevented by the railway workers – the writers do not all reside, far from it, in Saint-Germain-des-Prés.
The large publishing family has never been a long calm river
Same gymnastics for the good forty guest editors, L’Express having wished this year to widen the circle by inviting all the “tenors” of the milieu. At the last minute, a few withdrawals fall, further complicating the composition of the tables, next to which weddings in Windsor look like children’s tea parties. Because if the great publishing family has never been a long calm river, the atmosphere within it has duly hardened lately. Waltz of publishers between the different groups, the rise of Antoine Gallimard and Françoise Nyssen against the takeover of Hachette by Vivendi and multiplication of “transfers” of authors (Rufin, Dugain, Bouysse, Orsenna, Grimaldi, Attali, etc. ): the weather is hot.
But let’s forget these bickering for a moment, it’s time for the photo of the stars of 2022, with, in particular, Amélie Nothomb, the veteran (23rd edition, 23rd presence), delighted to refresh herself with a cup of Perrier-Jouët, the one of the best champagnes according to this specialist. Smiles of circumstance, the shot is in a box. Brigitte Giraud, Karine Tuil, Virginie Grimaldi, Victor Castanet, Philippe Besson, Natacha Calestrémé, Yasmina Khadra, Nicolas Mathieu, etc., a fine skewer of bestsellers to make many authors green with envy. 450,000 copies (according to Edistat) sold from The Alaska Sanders Affair de Dicker (over 100,000 copies on the Swiss side), 200,000 copies for Goncourt (live fast) by Brigitte Giraud, 180,000 for Virginie Grimaldi’s eighth novel, We will be left with this 180,000 also for The Gravediggers, Victor Castanet’s shock investigation into Orpea rewarded with the Albert-Londres prize, 170,000 for the Connemara by Nicolas Mathieu, 90,000 for Philippe Besson (Paris-Briancon), David Foenkinos (Number two) or Yasmina Khadra (The Virtuous); and this, for the year 2022 alone. Not to mention the absentees (Giuliano da Empoli, Pierre Lemaitre, Guillaume Musso, Virginie Despentes, Michel Houellebecq, Thomas Pesquet), who have also risen to the firmament.
And the discussions on… Vivendi are on the rise
Come the feasts. A word from Alain Weill, CEO of L’Express, recalling that 2023 rhymes with the 70th anniversary of the weekly founded by Jean-Jacques Servan-Schreiber and Françoise Giroud, another from Eric Chol, the editorial director, greeting the beautiful assembly (largely female on this March 8), and the discussions on… Vivendi. Because, if the weapons were deposited at the entrance of the restaurant, the editors kept their laptops. Also, the rumor runs from table to table. At 12:58 p.m., the news fell: the European Commission opposes on a preliminary basis Vivendi’s takeover bid for Lagardère (Hachette Livres), or more precisely rejects the financial package proposed for the sale of Editis. Except that Vivendi sells 100% of Editis to the buyer. Explosive information when the name of the buyer of Editis was to be announced that same day! Many at the table are affected by the press release, from the publishers of Hachette (Olivier Nora, Philippe Robinet, Isabelle Saporta, Véronique Cardi, etc.) to those of Editis (Sofia Bengana, Sophie Charnavel, Florient Lafani, Carine Fannius, etc.).
“Incorruptible and incompetent juries”?
When they’re not talking about “the case,” the editors amuse themselves, throwing a few pike here and there, like this: “Juries used to be corrupt and competent. Today they’re incorruptible and incompetent. I’m not sure we won the change.” A good word that we will keep anonymous. Precisely, an unconscious hand placed our columnist Pierre Assouline, member of the Goncourt jury, next to Brigitte Giraud, who won the Grail last year. However, it is common knowledge that the 10th covered at Drouant voted, hard as iron, and this until the last round (the 13th!), for the big “loser” of the final, Giuliano da Empoli – Antoine Gallimard, its editor, moreover thinks that The Mage of the Kremlin would have reached a million copies if he had won. Miracle of the Royal Monceau menu (spinach ricotta ravioli, roast chicken supreme, chocolate tartlet concocted by Quentin Lechat) or the wines served (échalas, Claude Riffault, Seresin pinot noir)? Still, the two guests left smiling.
Just like the Belgian Amélie Nothomb and the Swiss Joël Dicker, like two French speakers sticking together. There remains a gaping question: who of Truman Capote and Norman Mailer is the best writer? Pierre Assouline, François Samuelson and Bernard Minier discussed it at length. Without deciding. It’s up to you to vote.