Similar votes by juries deciding France’s other big book prizes — which have steadfastly rejected overhauls to make themselves fairer and more transparent — might not have raised any eyebrows. Speaking for the first time about the scandal, Pivot said he was “astonished” and “shocked” by the Goncourt’s decision to include the book in question on its list. At the Renaudot and other big prizes, jurors openly lobby for books in which they have a personal or professional stake. Nine days after the Goncourt released its list, Laurens, in her column in Le Monde, panned another book on it: “The Postcard,” by Anne Berest. Laurens’ review also drew attention because of its “unheard-of brutality,” according to France Inter, a public radio station, which first exposed the conflict of interest.

Source: bd News24 September 30, 2021 06:22 UTC