Prix Goncourt

**Adrian II** · 11-04-2005, 13:27

What is wrong with that jury? I mean, power to François Weyergans and all that, but I have never read a single sentence he wrote.

Why did they - again! - deny the prize it to Houellebecq? I saw Bernard Pivot on TV5, he was member of the jury and fought for Houellebecq but lost 5-4 or something.

Why oh why are they so afraid of dear dirty brilliant little Michel?

**Sigurd** · 11-04-2005, 13:43

I am wondering too...

**Redleg** · 11-04-2005, 14:46

What is this about - give me a link I feel to lazy to do a google search with the Prix Goncourt to attempt to understand. Explain it for us un-enlightened.

**Adrian II** · 11-04-2005, 16:02

Originally Posted by Redleg

What is this about - give me a link I feel to lazy to do a google search with the Prix Goncourt to attempt to understand. Explain it for us un-enlightened.

How's your finger, pal? No septic shock, I trust.

Frankly, I am too lazy to find links for English speakers.

The PG is the most prestigious yearly literary award in France. It is a very intricate business, leave that to the French literary circles. Publishers lobbies, political intrigues, clans and cabals - you gotta love it or hate it, there is no way in between. This is the country where chefs kill themselves when they lose a Michelin star. Go figure what they do to eachother over a book or a writer's contract. Ugh...

**Adrian II** · 11-04-2005, 17:19

Originally Posted by Sigurd Fafnesbane

I am wondering too...

Okay, one more attempt to kick off some discussion.

Could it be that Houellebecq was passed over because of his rather pronounced stance on ... tadaaaa... Islam? Are we witnessing one more instance of freedom of speech being sanctioned in the interest of 'religious peace and understanding'?

Mind you, the French are awarding lots of literary prizes to French Arabs who write very critically about Islam or about their countries of origin, so that would contradict the claim.

On the other hand, Houellebecq's criticism is so... direct and vicious and to the point that he may be in a category of his own, hence 'unawardable'.

Any connection between the snubbing of Houellebecq and the recent riots in Clichy-sur-Bois and elsewhere?

Just speculating, of course...

**Redleg** · 11-04-2005, 18:02

Originally Posted by AdrianII

How's your finger, pal? No septic shock, I trust.

Frankly, I am too lazy to find links for English speakers.

The PG is the most prestigious yearly literary award in France. It is a very intricate business, leave that to the French literary circles. Publishers lobbies, political intrigues, clans and cabals - you gotta love it or hate it, there is no way in between. This is the country where chefs kill themselves when they lose a Michelin star. Go figure what they do to eachother over a book or a writer's contract. Ugh...

Okay now I understand it - its for writing. I guess the trash novels I read don't count as literary in France.

Good thing I have been reading more history books lately,

**master of the puppets** · 11-04-2005, 18:04

i saw 2 things on that but your right i hav'nt seen a single quote of anything he wrote (yay a rhyme) the way these journalists talked about it they did'nt have a single plausible reason to deny him the honor, so what was it mabey a not so plausible reason, religion.

**Louis VI the Fat** · 11-04-2005, 20:05

Originally Posted by AdrianII

Okay, one more attempt to kick off some discussion.

Could it be that Houellebecq was passed over because of his rather pronounced stance on ... tadaaaa... Islam? Are we witnessing one more instance of freedom of speech being sanctioned in the interest of 'religious peace and understanding'?

Mind you, the French are awarding lots of literary prizes to French Arabs who write very critically about Islam or about their countries of origin, so that would contradict the claim.

On the other hand, Houellebecq's criticism is so... direct and vicious and to the point that he may be in a category of his own, hence 'unawardable'.

Any connection between the snubbing of Houellebecq and the recent riots in Clichy-sur-Bois and elsewhere?

Just speculating, of course...

Well you gave the answers to your questions yourself.

His self-imposed exile is two-folded: both physically and mentally he has removed himself from the Byzantinesque politics of the Parisian literary circles. That alone would explain his not winning it.

His vivisection of Islamic extremism didn't improve his standing with those crypto-communists either. It was simply to brilliant and impeccably spot-on.

He doesn't need prizes yet, he needs aversion to feed his misanthropic nihilism. 'tis better if that arrogant, self-assured little bugger remains disassociated from the mainstream a bit. For him to become accepted would mean he would've lost his edge.

Anyway, les particules élementaires (elementary particles?) alone will ensure his ticket to the Panthéon someday.

**Adrian II** · 11-04-2005, 23:41

Originally Posted by Louis IV the Fat

't Is better if that arrogant, self-assured little bugger remains disassociated from the mainstream a bit. For him to become accepted would mean he would've lost his edge.

Well said, let the ugly toad suffer some more and his readers will be better off for it.

Anyway, les particules élementaires (elementary particles?) alone will ensure his ticket to the Panthéon someday.

That one nearly made me cry, which is a rare feat in Adrianistan. It is the Cain and Abel story of our time.