In January, the booksellers will reveal the 6 chosen finalists, before giving way to 600 to 800 readers who, as jurors, will elect their favorite. The winner will be announced on June 18 during an evening at the Courbevoie Event Center during the Les Mots Libres festival. The 40 works in the running can be discovered here.
Valentine Goby, winner in 2014, remains the perpetual sponsor of the prize. Last year, Eric Chacour was distinguished for his novel What I know about you (Philippe Rey), succeeding Gilles Marchand, winner of 2023.
Between February and May, finalists participate in tours of member bookstores, culminating with a big awards ceremony where a roundtable discussion with the finalists precedes the announcement of the winner.
The association's founding members include renowned bookstores such as Librairie Nouvelle and Boite à Lettres in Asnières, as well as others in Colombes, Levallois, Courbevoie, Puteaux, Rueil, Saint-Cloud, Vaucresson, and Versailles.
Recently, the Librairie de la Pointe in Chaville and Les Sauterelles in Colombes joined the association, and this year, three new members were welcomed: Le Presse Papier in Argenteuil, Des Gens qui lire in Sartrouville, and the new bookstore Dédicaces in Nanterre. These bookstores also offer a complete range of digital books available on their website www.librairesenseine.com and will be presented on the association's social networks.
In addition, the association is enriching its commitment to young people by introducing a third category of prizes aimed at high school students and young adult readers, thus complementing the two existing categories for the youngest. These awards are supported by local schools and libraries who help with their promotion and animation.
Three categories will be offered this year:
P'tits Bouquineurs (until 10/11 years old)
Booksellers in the Seine (up to 13/14 years old)
Grands Bouquineurs (teens and young adults)
Previous novels winning the Libraires en Seine prize:
2024 : What I know about you, Eric Chacour, Philippe Rey Éditions (Prize presentation at the Courbevoie Event Center)
2023 : The soldier out of tune, Gilles Marchand, Aux Forges de Vulcain (Prize presentation at the Théâtre d’Asnières)
2022 : HamnetMaggie O'Farrell, Éditions Belfond (For the 10th anniversary of the prize, Festival Livres en Seine on the island of Monsieur,
Sevres)
2021 : Between wild animals, Colin Niel, Éditions du Rouergue (Online meetings and award ceremony on You Tube)
2020 : Opus 77, Alexis Ragougneau, Éditions Viviane Hamy (Round table and award ceremony on YouTube)
2019 : Where dogs bark by their tailsEstelle-Sarah Bulle, Liana Lévi (prize ceremony at the Théâtre de Puteaux)
2018 : The day before, Sorj Chalandon, Grasset (prize ceremony at the André Malraux theater, Rueil Malmaison)
2017 : Two remorse of Claude Monet, Michel Bernard, La Table Ronde (Prize presentation at the 3 Pierrots, Saint-Cloud)
2016 : Intimate hostages, Jeanne Benameur, Actes Sud (Prize presentation at the Théâtre des Amandiers, Nanterre)
2015 : Jacob, Jacob, Valérie Zenatti, Éditions de l'Olivier (Prize presentation at the Théâtre des Sablons, Neuillly sur Seine)
2014 : nurseryValentine Goby, Actes Sud (prize ceremony at Château d’Asnières)
2013 : A wanderer arrives, Robert Goolrick, Éditions Anne Carrière (prize ceremony at the Atrium, Rueil Malmaison)
Find the list of French and French-speaking literary prizes
Photo credits: Prix Libraires en Seine Corinne Kim
By Hocine Bouhadjera
Contact : [email protected]
