the essential
Thibault Christophe from Toulouse has published a novel which features a fan of Jean-Jacques Goldman, largely inspired by his own experience. The book reached him and the singer replied to him. Overwhelmed with emotion, the author recounts.
The letter is dated September 18, 2024 and comes from Marseille. It bears the letterhead of Jean-Jacques Goldman. When Thibault Christophe opened it, he was in the elevator with his two young sons and couldn’t believe his eyes. “It was such a surprise that I instantly put it back in the envelope,” shaken as he was. “I had to open it slowly to appreciate this beautiful moment,” he remembers.
Dr.
A year ago, this communications teacher at Jean-Jaurès University, also an amateur musician, wrote his first novel, “LT, Journal d’un an an” published by Editions du Caillou.
In this book, he evokes the journey of a groupie who follows the singer Jean-Jacques, drawing heavily on his experience. “I went to draw on my personal memories. Quickly, I realized that there was something quite universal in the relationship that a fan can have with his idol. As it was literature, I am also allowed to go further and fantasize something that has never happened: namely a meeting, a collaboration and much more. ” While writing his novel, Thibault Christophe takes pleasure in diving back into his tender years with these moments. “hypersympathetic”.
“I asked Cabrel to send him my novel”
Secretly, Thibault Christophe hopes that his work reaches the hands of the artist in question. Also, he made a first attempt, more than a year ago, during his writing residency with Francis Cabrel, in Astaffort, in Lot-et-Garonne, where he wrote songs with other music lovers. .
“As the book had just come out, I asked Cabrel if he could pass it on to Goldman, thinking they were in contact. At the time, he hadn’t promised me anything.” And nothing happened.
Also, at the start of summer, the Toulouse resident made a second attempt, this time sending his work back, accompanied by a letter, to the Goldman fan club. And miracle, oh miracle, Jean-Jacques Golman himself answered him.
In a sloppy handwriting, the songwriter, who has completely disappeared from the radar since 2002, wrote him a very personal message, acknowledging that his letter had “touched him a lot”. Reacting to the virtues of writing mentioned by Thibault in his missive, Jean-Jacques Goldman replied that “writing can be as destructive as it is essential, and the readers or listeners are and remain mysteries”. The artist concludes his note by wishing him to one day read “such a benevolent, moving letter, to inspire you in your turn.” And Goldman ends with a touching “Belles routes Thibault”.
For the Toulouse resident, a fan of Goldman, with the receipt of this letter “the circle has come full circle. It’s a great recognition”.
