Jeanne Cordelier's memoirs - publication date in French March 4 2010
For years, French readers have been waiting to know what happened to the author of La Dérobade, 1976, since that success was published (its publication in English came a bit later with the title The Life). Since then she has published 15 books in French, but her reputation has remained as the author of one single book. The Life ends with Sophie's refusal to participate in prostitution and she liberates herself from all bonds. At least that is what most people thought, when they discovered her as the author of a great best-seller, making more money than she even realized herself.
But you do not get away from your past that easily. Her forthcoming memoirs, Reconstruction in French, provide further insight into her life right after her literary debute. And the text goes on to tell her private live, marriage, giving birth and continued writing every day.
Reconstruction has a preface written by Benoîte Groult, who was also the author of the preface to La Dérobade.
The cover photo of Jeanne Cordelier in 1979 was taken during an interview with Colombe Pringle for Elle magazine by Brigitte Lacombe.
Reconstruction may be bought at amazon.fr : Reconstruction.
The first review of the new book appeared on February 12 in the specialized for (librarians and bookshops) magazine Livres Hebdo. Those who read French can find reviews on the French site of Jeanne Cordelier.
Illustrated Texts 2009
On the 14th of July 2009, Jeanne published an illustrated version of Les aventures de H, sans manche, with prints by Chantal Legendre. You can learn more about it on Jeanne Cordelier's French site. The text only version of this satirical book is presented below.
2008
In November 2008, the French publisher Phébus published Mémoires d'enfance. This is a collection of short texts by a number of established French writers. Jeanne Cordelier has contributed a text called Le Majeur droit. It relates memories of incest. The book is available in French from Jeanne Cordelier's French site.
Latest book in English!
"This is a spellbinding story of passion and the politics of fear set in a city in transition. Cordelier brings the streets and waterways of Hanoi alive with accuracy of detail and telling imagery."
The English translation of Hanoi Blues is now available. The novel was written when Jeanne Cordelier lived in Vietnam. The love story between a French woman reporter and a Vietnamese painter is told within the context of authentic images of daily life in communist Vietnam, exposing the lack of freedom of expression and human rights.The book is now available at Abebooks.com , at Alibris.com , at Amazon.co.uk Hanoi Blues
The previous book in French by Jeanne Cordelier is Les aventures de H, sans manches. It contains 58 intrusions by H to the home of an average French family. For every intrusion H brings an unknown word for people to learn as well as most of the time objects he or she picked up during one of the many visits to other countries. H is neither masculine nor feminine, it is a human being whose sex changes depending on the circumstances. Each one of the intrusions brings some insight to Jeanne Cordelier's view of the current mood of the average French in front of their television set watching repetitive games or badly dubbed American series. Les aventures de H, sans manches can be bought from amazon.com, H
Apart from the translation by Harry Mathews of the first book by Jeanne Cordelier, The Life, Memoirs of a French Hooker, there have been no more translations. Finally, one more of her books is now available in English. The translation of Hanoi Blues was done by Marie Ramsland from the University of Newcastle, Australia. This novel about a love affaire between a French women report and a Vietnamese painter was written inside communist Vietnam, when Jeanne Cordelier lived in that country for more than two years, after having repeatedly visited Hanoi and Saigon during almost a decade.
Reprint Series
The first French edition of La Dérobade was published in 1976. To celebrate the 30th anniversary a new edition was published in May 2007 by Phébus. It includes a new avant-propos by Benoîte Groult, the original preface by Benoîte Groult and a new epilogue written by Jeanne Cordelier with the title Les Dessous de La Dérobade. This French edition can be bougt at amazon.fr.
Since most of her books have been out of print for too long, Jeanne Cordelier has decided to make them available by reprinting all of them. The reprints have been reviewed and corrected by the author to guarantee a maximum quality of the texts. The first book to be available as a reprint from portative is Sang et plumes. This novel describes the story of a young man living in a Paris suburb; his love for Boule d'Or, his friendship with Blanchette and his hope for a better life. The novel provides insight into the social situation of those who revolted in the Paris suburbs in November-December 2005. It can be bought at amazon.com, Sang et Plumes,
