Richard Millet
Encyclopedia
Richard Millet is a French author. He was born in Viam
, Corrèze
in 1953. He spent part of his childhood in Lebanon
and now lives in Paris
. In 1994 he won the Essay Prize from the Académie Française
for his book Le Sentiment de la langue (“The Feeling of Language”).
His work revolves around themes of time, death and language and is not without a certain Proustian
quality. His prose style has a richness and complexity that could be said to belong to a French tradition spanning from Bossuet
to Claude Simon
. Its rhythmic quality also gives it an elegance reminiscent of Marguerite Yourcenar
.
Several of his novels are set in the village of Siom (Viam’s literary counterpart), including La Gloire des Pythre (“The Glory of the Pythres”), L'Amour des trois sœurs Piale (“The Love of the Three Piale Sisters”), Lauve le pur (“Lauve the Pure”), and Ma vie parmi les ombres (“My Life Among the Shadows”). More generally, the Plateau de Millevaches
- its landscape, climate, geographic location and the evolution of the lives of its inhabitants over the course of the century - is an essential element in his work, as Haute-Provence was for Giono, the county of Yoknapatawpha for Faulkner
or Wessex for Thomas Hardy
.
Millet mixes religious elements with coarse language, evoking the French Catholic
tradition in a way that acknowledges the modern sexual revolution
. Desire, suffering and evil are themes that permeate all of his work.
He is also an editor at Gallimard, where he played a decisive role in the publication of Jonathan Littell
's novel Les Bienveillantes, which won the 2006 Prix Goncourt
.
The September 2007 publication of Désenchantement de la littérature, in which he denounces the inanity of contemporary French literature and the loss of religious feeling in the West, generated a good deal of controversy.
Viam
Viam is a commune in the Corrèze department in central France.-Population:...
, Corrèze
Corrèze
Corrèze is a department in south central France, named after the Corrèze River.The inhabitants of the department are called Corréziens or Corréziennes according to gender.-History:...
in 1953. He spent part of his childhood in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
and now lives in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1994 he won the Essay Prize from the Académie Française
Académie française
L'Académie française , also called the French Academy, is the pre-eminent French learned body on matters pertaining to the French language. The Académie was officially established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister to King Louis XIII. Suppressed in 1793 during the French Revolution,...
for his book Le Sentiment de la langue (“The Feeling of Language”).
His work revolves around themes of time, death and language and is not without a certain Proustian
Marcel Proust
Valentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental À la recherche du temps perdu...
quality. His prose style has a richness and complexity that could be said to belong to a French tradition spanning from Bossuet
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet was a French bishop and theologian, renowned for his sermons and other addresses. He has been considered by many to be one of the most brilliant orators of all time and a masterly French stylist....
to Claude Simon
Claude Simon
Claude Simon was a French novelist and the 1985 Nobel Laureate in Literature. He was born in Antananarivo, Madagascar, and died in Paris, France....
. Its rhythmic quality also gives it an elegance reminiscent of Marguerite Yourcenar
Marguerite Yourcenar
Marguerite Yourcenar was a Belgian-born French novelist and essayist. Winner of the Prix Femina and the Erasmus Prize, she was the first woman elected to the Académie française, in 1980, and the seventeenth person to occupy Seat 3.-Biography:Yourcenar was born Marguerite Antoinette Jeanne Marie...
.
Several of his novels are set in the village of Siom (Viam’s literary counterpart), including La Gloire des Pythre (“The Glory of the Pythres”), L'Amour des trois sœurs Piale (“The Love of the Three Piale Sisters”), Lauve le pur (“Lauve the Pure”), and Ma vie parmi les ombres (“My Life Among the Shadows”). More generally, the Plateau de Millevaches
Plateau de Millevaches
right|thumb|220px|Plateau de MillevachesThe Plateau de Millevaches is an upland area in the Limousin région of France...
- its landscape, climate, geographic location and the evolution of the lives of its inhabitants over the course of the century - is an essential element in his work, as Haute-Provence was for Giono, the county of Yoknapatawpha for Faulkner
William Faulkner
William Cuthbert Faulkner was an American writer from Oxford, Mississippi. Faulkner worked in a variety of media; he wrote novels, short stories, a play, poetry, essays and screenplays during his career...
or Wessex for Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy, OM was an English novelist and poet. While his works typically belong to the Naturalism movement, several poems display elements of the previous Romantic and Enlightenment periods of literature, such as his fascination with the supernatural.While he regarded himself primarily as a...
.
Millet mixes religious elements with coarse language, evoking the French Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
tradition in a way that acknowledges the modern sexual revolution
Sexual revolution
The sexual revolution was a social movement that challenged traditional codes of behavior related to sexuality and interpersonal relationships throughout the Western world from the 1960s into the 1980s...
. Desire, suffering and evil are themes that permeate all of his work.
He is also an editor at Gallimard, where he played a decisive role in the publication of Jonathan Littell
Jonathan Littell
Jonathan Littell is a bilingual writer living in Barcelona. He grew up in France and United States and is a dual citizen of both countries. After acquiring his bachelor degree he worked for a humanitarian organisation for nine years, leaving his job in 2001 in order to concentrate on writing...
's novel Les Bienveillantes, which won the 2006 Prix Goncourt
Prix Goncourt
The Prix Goncourt is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year"...
.
The September 2007 publication of Désenchantement de la littérature, in which he denounces the inanity of contemporary French literature and the loss of religious feeling in the West, generated a good deal of controversy.
Works
- L'Invention du corps de saint Marc, POL (1983)
- L'Innocence, POL (1984)
- Sept passions singulières, POL (1985)
- Le plus haut miroir, Fata Morgana (1986)
- Le Sentiment de la langue I, Champ Vallon (1986)
- Beyrouth, Champ Vallon (1987), repris dans Un Balcon à Beyrouth, followed by Beyrouth ou la séparation, La Table Ronde (2005)
- L'Angélus, POL (1988) and "Folio" (2001)
- La Chambre d'ivoire, POL (1989) and "Folio" (2001)
- Le Sentiment de la langue II, Champ Vallon (1990)
- Laura Mendoza, POL (1991)
- Accompagnement, POL (1991)
- L'Ecrivain Sirieix, POL (1992), "Folio" (2001)
- Le Chant des adolescentes, POL (1993)
- Le Sentiment de la langue, I, II, III, La Table Ronde (1993 and 2003)
- Un Balcon à Beyrouth, La Table Ronde (1994 et 2005)
- Cœur blanc, POL (1994)
- La Gloire des Pythre, POL (1995), "Folio" (1997)
- L'Amour mendiant, POL (1996), "Folio" (2007)
- L'Amour des trois sœurs Piale, POL (1997), "Folio" (1999)
- Cité perdue, Fata Morgana (1998)
- Le Cavalier siomois, Editions François Janaud (1998), La Table Ronde (2004)
- Autres jeunes filles (with illustrations by Ernest Pignon-ErnestErnest Pignon-ErnestErnest Pignon-Ernest is a Fluxus and Situationist French artist.-Overview:His first work was done in 1966. It was a reaction to France's Nuclear Strike Force. In 1971, he exhibited posters depicting scenes from the Commune. In 1978-1979, his posters of Arthur Rimbaud could be seen all over France....
), Editions François Janaud (2000) - Lauve le pur, POL (2000), "Folio" (2001)
- La Voix d'alto, Gallimard (2001), "Folio" (2003)
- Le Renard dans le nom, Gallimard (2003), "Folio" (2004)
- Ma vie parmi les ombres, Gallimard (2003), "Folio" (2005)
- Fenêtre au crépuscule. Conversation avec Chantal Lapeyre-Desmaison, La Table Ronde (2004)
- Musique secrète, Gallimard (2004)
- Pour la musique contemporaine, Fayard (2004)
- Le Dernier écrivain, Fata Morgana (2005)
- Harcèlement littéraire. Entretiens avec Delphine Descaves et Thierry Cecille, Gallimard (2005)
- Le Goût des femmes laides, Gallimard (2005), "Folio" (2007)
- Sacrifice, on the photographs of Silvia Seova, L'Archange Minotaure (2006)
- Dévorations, Gallimard (2006)
- L'Art du bref, Gallimard, (2006)
- Place des Pensées. Sur Maurice Blanchot, Gallimard (2007)
- Petit éloge d'un solitaire, Gallimard, "Folio" (2007)
- L'Orient désert, Mercure de France (2007)
- Désenchantement de la littérature, Gallimard (2007)
Critical Studies
- Sylviane COYAULT-DUBLANCHET, La Province en héritage. Pierre Michon, Pierre Bergounioux, Richard Millet, Genève, Droz, 2002, 289 p.
- Jean-Yves LAURICHESSE, Richard Millet. L'invention du pays, Amsterdam - New York, Rodopi, 2007, 276 p.