The jury chaired by the actress Brigitte Fossey and composed of the writer Éric Bouhier, the journalist Élodie Fondacci, the writer and psychoanalyst Philippe Grimbert and the author and journalist Pascale Senk, unanimously praised the depth and sensitivity of this family story . Against the two other finalists, “The other part” by Morgane Az (Éditions Plon, August 2023) and “Ce que je sais de toi” by Éric Chacour (Editions Philippe Rey, August 2023), the novel by François Garde s is distinguished by its ability to bring back to life a missing family figure while allowing the author to reconnect with the past and the present.
The jury’s choice touches me a lot because this novel represents seven years of writing and questioning, on the fact of knowing how I was going to come to the end of this story, while wondering if it would interest readers other than my brothers and sisters. Proof is given to me that a family secret can be of interest beyond the family circle”, declared François Garde, winner of the 2024 Nohée Book Prize .
Discover the interview with the big winner as well as the entire ceremony on the Nohée YouTube channel
Brigitte Fossey said: “By resurrecting in the collective memory a character from his family who had been murdered, François Garde was able to mourn the loss of his father. (…) From this fabulous back and forth in the soul of this uncle hidden and destroyed by an entire family, he emerges transformed while his vision of the world becomes different. This novel is of great beauty.”
The Nohée Book Prize, much more than a literary distinction
Created in 2020 and accompanied by a grant of 5,000 euros, the Nohée Book Prize rewards each year a work in French addressing the themes of family and transmission. Beyond the literary aspect, this prize embodies Nohée’s desire to promote reading as a pillar of the well-being of its residents: they are involved in the participation of the Reading Clubs, in the choices of the three finalists and the final vote. Suzanne Davias (Nohée Sèvres residence), Pierre Hoffmann (Nohée Avignon residence) and Colette Jeanniot (Nohée Paris Auteuil residence) were the three witnesses of this edition.
Marie Jason, deputy operating director of Nohée adds : “In each of the Nohée residences, we are committed to instilling a family spirit. The Book Prize highlights this commitment. Each in their own way, the three finalist books of this 5th edition offered a source of emotions, family secrets, links and transmission between generations. I think I can say that, for me, as for the residents of the Nohée residences, they reveal much more than life stories.”
Residents discovered the winner of this edition gathered around a friendly aperitif, for example, at the Nohée Avignon residence:
Through its Reading Club and the Nohée Book Prize, the Altarea group brand promotes reading as a vector of social connection and independence for seniors, while creating an intergenerational space for transmission around books. This commitment is part of a broader inclusive approach which aims to create intergenerational links while guaranteeing access to culture for all, with initiatives such as audio books and large print works, available in its residences.
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