some ideas for Books and albums to slip under the tree

And also…

Books about Izieu's children

Alexandre Nugues-Bourchat and Dominique Vidaud – the first succeeded the second, as director of the Maison d'Izieu, last June – are the authors of the book event on the 80th anniversary of the Izieu roundup, published by Progress. Titled Living memoriesthis 130-page work is dedicated to history, against the forgetting of the 44 children deported from the Izieu colony. Through a hundred photos and period documents, a different light is shed on this historical tragedy and how the Maison d'Izieu was able to rise from the shadows. Available on newsstands for 22 €.

Several other books were published this year, linked to the children of Izieu, to celebrate this sad anniversary. For example, there is a comic strip, by Pascal Bresson and Giulio Salvadori (Éditions Boîte à bubbles 26 €). Samuel Pintel, former child of Izieu, who vowed to always keep the memory of his former comrades alive, has also released a book, Samuel Pintel, Izieu's child.

At the end of November, three-star Vonnas chef Georges Blanc released a new book. The ABC of a starred chef allows us to retrace his life and his immense career. The gastronomy enthusiast will find for each letter, numerous anecdotes, ideas, encounters…
All illustrated with more than 400 photos. To order from the online store. 25 €.

Mélissa Da Costa's latest novel

Since the publication of All the blue of the skyin 2019, the author from Replonges has a string of successes. In 2023, she was number 1 of French authors in terms of sales. Last August, Mélissa Da Costa, 34, published Stand upson 8^e roman (22,90 € at Albin Michel). In which the reader follows a couple (Eléonore, 24 years old, and François, 42 years old) who see their daily life turned upside down by disability when François, victim of a scooter accident, becomes paraplegic. And for those who prefer comics, the first novel by l'Aindinoise has been adapted into a graphic novel (24.90 € at Albin Michel). In this version of All the blue of the skyit is from the point of view of Joanne (the other main character with Émile), which does not make it a copy and paste of the book.

He is not from Aindinois but he passed through the upper Bugey when he arrived in France in 1995. Gaël Faye, finalist for the Goncourt prize, was awarded the Renaudot prize for Jacarandahis second novel. Which addresses the reconstruction of Rwanda after the 1994 genocide. In his first book, Small Countryit's about a little boy who lives in Burundi and sees the civil war coming to his country and the genocide in Rwanda. Gaël Faye has always said that it is not an autobiography, even if it is inspired by his story.

Gaëlle Riche