2023-12-22 10:01:21
In this third part of our interview with Isabelle Falconnier, first female director of Swiss Press Club, we had the opportunity to learn more about his career and his passions. We particularly address the subject of literature and Swiss authors. The fact that the Press Club has chosen a personality who comes from the world of media and culture as director will perhaps allow us to consider its activities in a slightly different way than previously.
Isabelle Falconnier: a passionate mediator
Passionate about both culture and literature, as well as the world of media, Isabelle Falconnier always dreamed of being a journalist.
She worked for more than 20 years in a fascinating editorial team, that of the news magazine L’Hebdo. She tells us that she “likes to be like a passer, a mediator”. “I am today between the world of the press, the media and the public and I feel perfectly in my place” she adds.
Isabelle Falconnier is basically specialized in culture. She also directed the Geneva Book Fair for several years. She also started journalism as a literary critic. Then, she was head of different sections that deal with society or culture in general. Then, she was deputy editor-in-chief of L’Hebdo magazine.
Today, she has maintained a link with both writing and literature, since she writes for the Sunday newspaper “Le matin Dimanche”, about books and literature. And at the same time, she tries to write journalistic books, that is to say books on Lake Geneva for example, another on the American state of Montana.
Isabelle Falconnier, writer
Isabelle Falconnier is passionate about what we call nature writing, embodied by authors like Jim Harrison. She also wrote a book about Heidi. The story of Heidi, this little mountain girl who became a universal icon known throughout the world, goes far beyond a simple children’s story. It both tells Heidi’s story, but it’s also a cookbook, which she wrote with food writer friend Anne Martinetti.
She has also written collective books, literary walks in Lausanne or French-speaking Switzerland, and a small book on the poet Alexandre Voisard, a very great French-speaking poet, who lives in French-speaking Switzerland.
In this way, she maintains an activity as an author, even if she would like to have more time to develop her thousands of ideas.
“When you are a journalist, you are curious about everything. When I was little, they called me Madame Why. I have always been curious about all kinds of subjects,” Isabelle Falconnier tells us. Being a journalist gives you answers to these questions.
She is also a huge reader. “Reading books is a way of traveling, of discovering the world, of others, of how others live, of putting yourself in the shoes of the characters, whether they are men, women, children, old people.”
French language and literary identity
The literary scene in French-speaking Switzerland is dynamic, with authors from all generations publishing a variety of works. However, few publishing houses are large enough for wide distribution in France. Today, literary identity is no longer confined to a nationality and young contemporary authors are distributed throughout the French-speaking world.
Language remains a central element of identity. In our country, French-speaking Switzerland and German-speaking Switzerland present cultural distinctions, particularly in the recognition of artists and writers. Although figures such as Martin Suter and Joël Dicker are known in French-speaking Switzerland, cultural notoriety generally remains more marked on the German-speaking side. Deceased authors, such as Frédéric Dürrenmatt and Max Frisch, have crossed linguistic boundaries, but challenges related to circulation of works, translation and popularity persist.
Reading and literature rooted in French-speaking Switzerland
In French-speaking Switzerland, the passion for reading remains strong, with a well-established book and publishing culture. Libraries and bookstores play a central role, and the diversity of media, between printed books and e-books, underlines the continued commitment to literature. Being a writer today has significant symbolism in this region where reading remains an important value.
Numerous book festivals, such as the Geneva Book Fair in spring and the literary festival “Le Livre sur les Quais” in Morges in autumn, as well as many other literary events of various scales take place throughout the year. year.
Emerging talents and a trend towards thrillers
Despite the literary vitality in French-speaking Switzerland, the local market remains limited, which forces writers to have another activity to meet their needs.
Young authors seek to make a living from their pen, but they diversify their writing activities. A writer’s life no longer depends only on published novels, but also on commissioned texts, translation and adaptation rights, as well as income from readings and paid participation in debates.
In French-speaking Switzerland, talented authors are emerging such as Elisa Chua du Sapin, originally from Jura, hailed for her successes with Editions Zoé and her multiple international distinctions. Joël Dicker, a Genevan writer, has gained worldwide fame over the past fifteen years, notably with “The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair”, inspiring other Swiss-French authors to consider similar possibilities thanks to his resounding success .
French-speaking Switzerland has also seen the emergence of a thriller trend over the last decade, inspired by the success of the Nordic thriller. Authors like Nicolas Feucht, Marc Voltenauer, and Catherine Rolland stood out by writing thrillers anchored in French-speaking Switzerland, thus becoming popular figures in the local literary landscape. Today, the most famous and popular figures in literature in French-speaking Switzerland are often crime fiction authors.
As a mediator between the world of the press, the media and the public, Isabelle Falconnier’s journalistic journey and passion for literature come together harmoniously. The literary wealth of French-speaking Switzerland transcends borders, offering a fascinating picture of diversity and creativity.
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