“I come back to it regularly, when I need beauty”

“I often give away books, and almost always poetry. Novels involve a more restrictive commitment and sometimes end up as decorative objects that are imposed on people. They also have a more ephemeral lifespan: when we have read them, we put them back, often keeping only a vague memory of them over time. The collection of poems, on the contrary, symbolizes the very concept of the bedside book: you can open it at any time, spend only three minutes on it, forget about it, pick it up again. I love reading it with people to share a very precious form of intimacy through the words of others. Baudelaire and Etel Adnan move me, but if I had to name just one, I would choose the Greek Constantin Cavafy, the greatest of poets.

Her works were given to me by a friend, as a remedy, while I was in full convalescence. Since then, I have come back regularly when I need beauty. What moves me is his generosity: there is nothing intimidating in his writings and, through simple but profound words, he invites you to dream, to let your mind wander. In fashion as in literature, I like artistic gestures whose impact is gentle. Jean Giono also had this quality, perfectly illustrated in The man who planted trees. There is such modesty and such strength in this act that he recounts, as a true symbol of roots for those whose hearts are between two countries. Under Giono’s clear pen, this story can be understood by everyone, children and adults alike, and everyone can learn the lesson they want from it.