Eight novels have been selected by the jury members, chaired by Franz-Olivier Giesbert, for the 19th Nice Baie des Anges Prize. Sponsored and endowed by the capital of the Côte d’Azur, this literary prize rewards a novel published in the twelve months preceding the Nice Book Festival. The winner will be announced this Friday, May 24th.
For F-O Giesbert: “It is a prize that exists and excites desires, it has a very distinguished track record and has eventually become established, just like the literary festival that supports it.”
Since its creation in 1996 at the initiative of the City of Nice, this literary prize has crowned eighteen novelists: Patrick Renaudot, Raoul Mille, Franz-Olivier Giesbert, Gérard de Cortanze, Claude Imbert, Jean-Noël Pancrazi, Paula Jacques, Vénus Khoury-Ghata, Richard Millet, Eric Fottorino, Jean-Paul Enthoven, Didier Van Cauwelaert, Saphia Azzeddine, René Frégni, Daniel Cordier, Laurent Seksik, Aurélie Hustin de Gubernatis, Romain Slocombe.
The Selection:
– Cold Noodles in Pyongyang, Jean-Luc COATALEM (Grasset)
– I’m Better, David FOENKINOS (Gallimard)
– Roma/Roman, Philippe de La GENARDIÈRE (Actes Sud)
– The Boy Who Does Not Exist, Patrice LECONTE (Albin Michel)
– A Writer, A Real One, Pia PETERSEN (Actes Sud)
– A Faded Man, Alexandre POSTEL (Gallimard)
– The Abbess’s Supper, Jean SICCARDI (Presses de la Cité)
– The Workshop of Miracles, Valérie TONG CUONG (JC Lattès)
The composition of the 2013 jury includes: Paule Constant, Irène Frain, Aurélie Hustin de Gubernatis, Didier van Cauwelaert, Laurent Seksik, Jacques Vidal (municipal advisor dedicated to literature, combating illiteracy, libraries, and cinema), and Olivier Biscaye (editor-in-chief of the daily Nice-Matin, which also sponsors this literary prize). The public of the Côte d’Azur is involved in the deliberations for awarding the prize to one of the two finalists designated by the professional jury.
The Nice Baie des Anges Book Prize will be awarded by Mr. Christian Estrosi, Deputy Mayor of the city, at the opening of the 18th edition of the Nice Book Festival (June 7, 8, and 9), which will be held under the presidency of Mr. Amin Maalouf of the French Academy.
