«THE PUBLISHER, THE PUBLISHER: LETTERS AND/OR FIGURES?» INTERVIEW WITH CAPUCINE RUAT, PUBLISHER Profession: publisher. Essential skill: choose “books that open our eyes, break into our hearts and try to heal us from our ordinary blindness…” (Paul Audi).
“Jean-Marc is one of the publishers who makes few annotations, because, according to him, to love is to love imperfections, especially a first novel.” Capucine Ruat, excerpt from L'éditeur (Phébus, August 2023). The writer’s third novel, Capucine Ruat created the literary agency Maison Ruat after working for more than 20 years at Stock, notably alongside Jean-Marc Roberts.
A signing session in the bookshop will close the meeting.
PRIX MALESHERBES, THE KING’S BOOKSELLER HOSTED BY JEAN-MARC PROVIDENCE, DIRECTOR OF THE AMI
How in Le Malesherbois, and in Malesherbes itself, do not honor Monsieur de Malesherbes (Christian Guillaume de Lamoignon de Malesherbes), protector of encyclopaedists more than censor in the service of a royalty who will take umbrage and remove him from his functions as bookseller of the King. But first loyal man, who although convinced of the need to reform will defend the King, saving neither the head of Louis XVI, nor his own and that of part of his descendants.
Installed in 2021, by the Atelier-musée de l'imprimerie, the Prix Malesherbes, the King’s Bookseller, supported by the Ville du Malesherbois and the Crédit Agricole Centre-Loire, distinguishes a book – novel, essay, short story, comic book…– «qui parle livres», a book «that says the pleasure of reading and writing», written in French and published in the past year.
The jury composed of professionals (booksellers, librarians) and readers, gathered to deliberate on Monday, September 4 at the AMI, chose to award the Malesherbes Prize, the King’s Bookseller, 2023 edition to Dominique Fortier for his title White Shadows, published by Grasset in January 2023. After Les villes de papier: une vie by Emily Dickinson (Grasset, 2020), Dominique Fortier goes back in time with Les ombres blanches as the book begins when the poet dies… leaving the place of the central character to the Book.
The jury’s opinion: “a creative delicacy” – Elise, librarian; “a captivating book on the power of books in our lives” – Antoine, bookseller; “original and singular” – Claudine, reader; “the chance of creating, the risk of letting a work pass by.” – Louis, bookseller; “this book is full of smells” – Monique, reader.
«It is a discreet book to the brilliant glory of books and readers or rather readers.» Sophie, bookseller.
All books from the 2023 selection (and more) are available in the bookstore.