Africa, Chesapeake, Kolwezi, humanitarian, writers and death. Presentation of the Books of the week.
Olivier d’Auzon, Africa 3.0 – The continent’s new challengesEditions Erick Bonnier, €24
The power of the West is strongly contested by rising powers – or those that have surpassed it – such as China, India, Russia and Turkey. In the “Global South”, anti-Western sentiment continues to grow, faced with the proliferation of new partners among these new powers. This is the case of Africa, which will have 2.5 billion inhabitants by 2050, when Europe will have only 450 million. The West, and France in particular, must therefore adapt to this new world system in which Westerners no longer have a monopoly on power.
Jean-Christophe Chaumery, Chesapeake – The French Victory That Changed the WorldÉditions Pierre de Taillac, €26.90
In this richly illustrated and documented historical synthesis, the author – a naval officer – takes us across the Atlantic and 243 years of history to join Admiral de Grasse and his sailors, on this glorious day in September 1781, when the French navy defeated the Royal Navy in the Chesapeake Bay. This victory recalls the decisive role of naval combat in a high-intensity war. Delving into its military history means learning valuable lessons to better prepare for the future.
Arnaud Érulin, The honor of a colonel – From Algeria… to KolweziÉditions Pierre de Taillac, €22.90
In May 1978, when Operation Bonito was launched, Colonel Érulin jumped on Kolwezi, with the 2e foreign parachute regiment. By taking many risks, with full knowledge of the facts, he successfully carries out the hostage release operation. Back in France, he is a national glory. Upon his return from Zaire, however, he was the victim of a defamation campaign led by the Communist Party and linked to his participation in the Algerian War as a young lieutenant. The colonel receives orders from political power and his hierarchy to remain silent. Until his premature death in 1979, he belonged to the Grande Muette and, out of duty, never said a word to defend himself. This book, written by his son, seeks to cleanse the colonel’s honor, in a vibrant tribute to an officer of great value.
Cécile Avena, Only mountains do not cross – A humanitarian in the SahelGrasset, €19.50
In this poignant testimony, we discover the life of humanitarian workers, alongside Cécile, a young graduate, who leaves France for the central Sahel in 2019. There she discovers Niamey, its climate, its culture, and its inhabitants. When suddenly, from her phone, she learns terrible news: her colleagues, who had gone on an excursion to the giraffe sanctuary, were killed by an Islamic attack. After the shock, how to get up? How to find your place? In this moving story, the author seeks to ward off his fear of oblivion and to escape denial.
Robin Nitot, The pen and the tomb – Ten writers facing deathSavior, €19.80
The death of a writer is his last signature. It is part of his work, and completes it. The author chooses ten writers whose works he studies and their relationship to death, in order to guess how, in one way or another, they announced the end that awaited them. Because to write, according to him, is to write towards one’s end.
