From ‘Rossignol’ to ‘Au-delà du ciel’: utopia still has stories to tell
Imagining a better world does not eliminate conflict. Three books offer ways to look differently at coexistence, progress and artificial intelligence.
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Perec at the BnF: how a rule can open up an entire novel
A missing letter, a puzzle-like building and variations: keys to understanding Perec’s choices and getting ready for the BnF exhibition, on until 14 February 2027.
“Le Rappel des oiseaux”: entering Sébastien Lapaque’s award-winning novel
The 2026 Grand Prix du roman goes to Sébastien Lapaque. Based on the available extract, a way into his story: childhood, inheritance and attentiveness to the living world.
Éclats de guerre: Patrick Chauvel, from reporting to narrative
Published on 21 October 2026, Patrick Chauvel’s book extends in written form a body of witness work whose 380,000 images are held at the Mémorial de Caen.
Jean Amrouche: the interview serial, a work in two voices
In 1949, his conversations with André Gide established a serial format on the radio in which preparation mattered as much as conversation. The archives help us understand the method.
La Mort devant soi: Rose-Marie Lagrave turns old age into an investigation
An introduction to Rose-Marie Lagrave’s autobiographical investigation into old age, dependency and care relationships, based on an extract and the contents page.
Together: Irina Chostakovitch at the heart of a collected account
Collected by Elena Yakovitch and translated by Maria Matalaev, Irina Chostakovitch’s testimony conveys an intimate memory. A look at how it was made.
Le Clan de Walden: entering Catherine Meurisse’s forest
The album extract opens with water, foliage and colour. An entry into Catherine Meurisse’s fable, in which Thoreau’s experience becomes a collective affair.
Hôtel Paris: Théodore Eristavi tells a story of exile between two worlds
Shortlisted for the second round of the La Renaissance Française prize, Théodore Eristavi’s novel revisits a departure from Georgia and a childhood in Montmartre.
Stigmata: Margaux Cassan seeks the sacred in the body
In this essay, published on 2 September, a piercing opens an inquiry into bodily marks and mystical experience. A concrete way into a philosophical question.
Line Renaud: from ‘The Archives of My Life’ to collective memory
Published on 14 October 2026, Line Renaud’s book opens a window onto her memories. The donation of her archives and those of Loulou Gasté had been announced as early as May 2025.
Bioconscience: looking at life without losing precision
Maxime Blondeau’s illustrated book brings science and philosophy together. The Svalbard Global Seed Vault offers a concrete example of the distinctions that need to be preserved.