Prix Goncourt 2025: the first selection revealed, favorites and surprises
The Académie Goncourt unveiled this Wednesday, September 3, the list of fifteen novels in the running for the most prestigious literary prize. More than ever, suspense surrounded the publication of the first list of novels for the new literary season selected by the ten jurors of the Académie Goncourt. Why hide it? Emmanuel Carrère's Kolkhoz (POL) crushed the literary season, sparking debates ranging from admiration to skepticism. It seemed obvious that he had a ticket to the prize race, even though he had already won the Femina for La Classe de neige (1995) and the Renaudot for Limonov (2011). And he had already been part of the first selection for the Goncourt with Yoga in 2020, without going any further.
A serious candidate, the writer takes up in his story, where the family genealogies and also reveals the private life of Hélène Carrère d'Encausse (1929-2023). A sort of filial declaration of love, sometimes bitchy, towards his mother, perpetual secretary of the Académie française.
This literary season, the jurors of the Académie Goncourt were still able to select books that have already been distinguished and acclaimed by readers. This is the case, for example, of Nathacha Appanah and her very moving book La Nuit au cœur (Gallimard) evoking three women victims of domestic violence; Laurent Mauvignier, very often highlighted during this season with La Maison vide (Minuit), with an elegant and gentle pen; Maria Pourchet for Tressaillir (Stock). We also find the first novel by David Deneufgermain, L'Adieu au visage (Marchialy), which returns to the pandemic; again the first novel by Paul Gasnier with La Collision (Gallimard).
The list will be narrowed down to eight titles during the second selection on October 7, and then to four finalists on October 28. The prize will be awarded on November 4 at the Drouant restaurant. We will then know the successor to Kamel Daoud, who won last year's award for Houris (Gallimard).
La Croıx
