Instagrammer Maïté Defive publishes 100 life-changing books, a selection of reading advice focused on contemporary literature.
Nothing destined her for the literary world, and yet. A little reader in her spare time during her adolescence, Maïté Defives discovered at 23 Mr. Ibrahim and the flowers of the Koran by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt. This is the revelation. This very short book about the confrontation of two worlds upsets her, so much so that she ends up reading all the works of the writer, then other works of contemporary literature. Present on social networks since 2017 under the pseudonym MademoiselleLit, the Bailleuloise left the world of finance in 2019 to become “ bookstagrameuse ” full time. Sharing columns every week, the 38-year-old influencer with 100,000 subscribers on Instagram publishes her first book entitled 100 life-changing books.
LE FIGARO. – Why did you want to write a book?
Maïté DEFIVES. – On social networks, I share my favorites by telling, in my own words, what I liked or didn't like in this or that book. I told myself that I could do the same thing but by writing a book. My goal is to restore the taste for reading, especially to teenagers. You just need to come across the right book at the right time. With 100 life-changing books, there is something for everyone. There are essays, poetry, contemporary literature…
There are very few classics in your selection. For what ?
Out of 100 books, there must be 95 that date after the year 2000. I mainly read contemporary and foreign literature. I prefer realistic novels and really wanted to write a book representative of my tastes. Who knows, maybe I'll read classics in five or ten years?
In what 100 books that change does life differ from your usual chronicles?
My goal was not to write reviews but to go much further. I wanted to write a fairly fun book, which strayed from what I'm used to doing. For example, I decided to add some portraits of the authors cited, accompanied by their other works. That way, if the reader has already read the book, I can recommend new ones.
What are publishing houses looking for in literary influencers?
Since the Covid 19 pandemic, there has been a real revival of literature in general and among young people in particular. Particularly thanks to literary influencers. Some recommended works even go viral. We are therefore asked a lot by publishing houses with whom we work closely to advertise certain books. We are paid to talk about it but that doesn't change our opinion. I don't accept everything. I very often refuse children's books that are offered to me because they are absolutely not representative of my reading.
Were you contacted by a publishing house for this first book?
No, the process was done on my own. I started researching the book in January and then contacted an editor in May. However, regarding my vacation notebook published last spring, it's the opposite: the Marabout publishing house offered me this opportunity and I took it!
