Lyon. This bookstore doesn't want Jordan Bardella's book and explains why

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As in Niort and elsewhere in France, booksellers in Lyon will not include Jordan Bardella's first book on their shelves. This autobiography called “What I’m looking for” will be published by Éditions Fayard on November 9, 2024, but will not have its place everywhere.

A choice belonging to the booksellers, but described as “censorship” by the National Rally. “It annoys me deeply that this word is used, it’s totally inappropriate,” says Laurent, an independent bookseller in Lyon.

“We make choices and we defend them”

Laurent is clear: “I don’t lecture anyone. Buy Bardella's book if you want. We, we have other things to show you. »

This manager of the Terre des Livres bookstore, located in the 7th arrondissement of Lyon, is among those who have chosen not to include this controversial work on their shelves. “The principle of the independent bookstore is to select a set of works that conforms to the sensitivity of the booksellers’ team. Our sensitivity is the exact opposite from that of Bardella in almost every respect. »

The bookseller assures that he does not want to “act as a barrier”. He explains: “We don’t prevent anything and if a customer asks us, we will place an order for him. »

Not activism, but “commitment”

Terre des Livres is not an activist bookstore, explains its manager. “On the other hand, we are committed. Around certain fights and in favor of tolerance and open-mindedness. So we, Jordan Bardella, it doesn't fit. » Here we find books from all periods of French and Western literature, but also a great diversity of works from the East or Africa.

We already don't have the space to offer everything we would like to offer, but then we are not going to sacrifice space for a book that is contrary to what we wish to put forward. Our belief is that every culture carries within itself a literary richness that is interesting to explore and that we want to introduce to our readers.

But like the controversy after the SNCF's announcement that advertising of the work would not be authorized in its stations due to the principle of “political neutrality”, the RN responded with the word “censorship”.

“There is perhaps a political strategy here to make oneself appear as a martyr. But censorship is when a power obstructs a work. We are not a political regulatory body, we are an independent private company, free to make its choices. A reader who wants to get the book will have no difficulty in doing soeven at home,” insists the bookseller.

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