Books, authors, readers, discussions: a wealth of literature with “something for every taste and inclination”. This is the aim of artistic director Olivier Chaudenson, in creating a literary event which will bring literary Paris to life from Thursday 4th to Monday 8th June 2009.
On the programme for this totally free event are three major themes: “Paris is a novel” - a self-guided journey through the city and its authors; “Cosmopolitan Paris”- a chance to discover and meet writers from abroad living or staying in Paris; and “Paris as a place for reading and writing” - showcasing contemporary writing.
Free events in the streets, libraries and at the Paris City Council chambers …
The nerve centre of Paris Writ Large will be the place Stalingrad (in the 19th district) where there will be a huge marquee, the Magic Mirror, with a dance on Saturday night, an open-air library and a wall of the best quotations about Paris.
The writer Jacques Jouet will also be there to carry out a unique and extreme form of writing experiment by creating a serialised novel live over four days under the gaze of passing Parisians.
Some forty locations throughout the city will be hosting events, ranging from the Pavillon de l'Arsenal to 104, from the Bouffes du nord theatre to City Hall, from the Point Ephémère arts centre to the théâtre du Châtelet.
Over fifty public libraries will be taking part and setting up outdoor reading rooms or hosting public readings and performances. Some fifteen or so libraries have put together a Boris Vian trail as a tribute to the famous French writer.
Bookshops will also be getting involved and are geared up to bring an extra dimension to the way in which we view contemporary literature. Many of them will be hosting visits from authors or providing an opportunity to hear actors reading passages aloud. The picture would not be complete without mentioning the booksellers on the banks of the Seine, who will be taking part in the event and will be present at some of the venues!
There will also be special guests and many cultural organisations and district town halls have signed up to Paris Writ Large to enrich the programme and to let reading and writing be heard loud and clear throughout the city.
Selected events…
Admiration. Contemporary writers recall authors from the past and pass on the urge to discover or re-read a work. Nancy Houston tackles Anaïs Nin and Philippe Besson takes on Verlaine and Rimbaud.
Hospitality. From home and abroad. Atiq Rahimi, Bjorn Larsson, Robert Mac Liam Wilson... Discussions and readings.
Readings. Actors will shed light on some aspects of Paris’ literary heritage using both familiar and new texts. Laurent Poitrenaux reads Georges Perec and , Hélène Fillières reads from the diary of Hélène Berr.
Style. Extracts from Raymond Queneau’s versions of a bus journey.
Walks. In the footsteps of Picasso, the Goutte d'or neighbourhood, or the Modiano trail.
Paris City Hall and the Académie française
Registration is required if you wish to attend the readings at City Hall or the literary tour of the Académie française.
» Register for the readings at City Hall
» Register for the literary tour of the Académie française
Video preview
Paris in words. Submit quotations by writers on Paris, writing or reading. The best quotations will be projected during the Paris Writ Large event at night-time screenings and on billboards in different festival locations. Submit your quotation at Paris.fr or at your local library!
» Submit your quotation (in French)
The streets of Paris: nominate a missing author. Many streets and squares bear the names of writers, but some major authors have been unfairly overlooked. Do some research and nominate a French and a European writer who have been dead for at least five years and deserve to have a street named after them. Submit your views on our website. Paris City Council will announce the results.
» Nominate a writer (in French)
