As the turning leaves outside my office window remind me, fall is here, which means this francophile’s thoughts turn immediately to the land of literary inspiration- La France. Fall is the most important season for France’s literary types, beginning with the rentrée littéraire in late August and culminating with the announcement of France’s top literary awards- Prix Goncourt and Prix Renaudot- on the same day in early November. The 2009 prizes will be announced on Monday, November 2 at the traditional spot, the Drouant restaurant in Paris.
In 2008, both the Goncourt and Renaudot were awarded to immigrant writers. Atiq Rahimi received the Prix Goncourt for Syngué Sabour. Pierre de patience, and Tierno Monénembo was awarded the Prix Renaudot for Le roi de Kahel.
The Prix Goncourt is awarded annually by the Académie Goncourt, a panel of literary experts (the current panel is comprised of Françoise Chandernagor, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Patrick Rambaud, Michel Tournier, Edmonde Charles-Roux, Robert Sabatier, Jorge Semprun, Françoise Mallet-Joris, Bernard Pivot, and Didier Decoin) to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year." Four subsidiary prizes are also awarded by the panel : Prix Goncourt du Premier Roman (first novel), Prix Goncourt de la Nouvelle (short story), Prix Goncourt de la Poésie (poetry) and Prix Goncourt de la Biographie (biography). The first Prix Goncourt was awarded in 1903.
The finalists, announced Monday October 6, 2009 are :
Sorj Chalandon, La légende de nos pères (Grasset)
Jean-Michel Guenassia, Le club des incorrigibles optimistes (Albin Michel)
Justine Lévy, Mauvaise fille (Stock)
Laurent Mauvignier, Des hommes (Minuit)
Marie NDiaye, Trois femmes puissantes (Gallimard)
Véronique Ovaldé, Ce que je sais de Vera Candida (Editions de l'Olivier)
Jean-Philippe Toussaint, La vérité sur Marie (Minuit)
Delphine de Vigan, Les heures souterraines (JC Lattès)
Jean-Michel Guenassia, Le club des incorrigibles optimistes (Albin Michel)
Justine Lévy, Mauvaise fille (Stock)
Laurent Mauvignier, Des hommes (Minuit)
Marie NDiaye, Trois femmes puissantes (Gallimard)
Véronique Ovaldé, Ce que je sais de Vera Candida (Editions de l'Olivier)
Jean-Philippe Toussaint, La vérité sur Marie (Minuit)
Delphine de Vigan, Les heures souterraines (JC Lattès)
The Prix Théophraste-Renaudot or Prix Renaudot was created in 1926 by ten literary critics as a compliment to the Prix Goncourt. Because the two awards are always given on the same day and the Goncourt is announced first, the Renaudot jurors are required to choose an alternative laureate in case their first choice is given the Prix Goncourt.
This year’s long list for the Prix Renaudot is comprised of the following authors:
Eliette Abécassis, Sépharade (Albin Michel)
Frédéric Beigbeder, Un roman français (Grasset)
Alain Blottière, Le tombeau de Tommy (Gallimard)
Bruno de Cessole, Le mois aimé (La Différence)
David Foenkinos, La délicatesse (Gallimard)
Marie-Hélène Lafon, L’annonce (Buchet- Chastel)
Vincent Message, Les veilleurs (Seuil)
Jean-Pierre Milovanoff, L’Amour est un fleuve (Grasset)
Véronique Ovaldé, Ce que je sais Vera Candida (Editions de l’Olivier)
Jean-Marc Parisis, Les aimants (Stock)
Patrick Poivre d’Arvor, Fragments d’une femme perdue (Grasset)
Gérard Pussey, Les succursales du ciel (Fayard)
Olivier Sebban, Le jour de votre nom (Seuil)
Anna Wiazemsky, Mon enfant de Berlin (Gallimard)
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