Les Nouvelles littéraires
Les Nouvelles littéraires began in October 1922, when the publishing house Éditions Larousse launched a newspaper devoted to literature and the arts. Over the decades that followed, the paper changed hands more than once and widened its focus well beyond books. It even went silent for years during wartime before eventually closing. Who kept the paper running through all of that change? What did its pages carry once literature alone was no longer enough? And which writers and critics filled its columns along the way?
The paper's first director guided it from 1922 to 1936, before André Gillon stepped into the role that year. Leadership passed down a generation when Gillon's son, Étienne Gillon, later took over as director himself. Direction moved outside the family by 1971, when René Minguet became director, serving until 1975. Philippe Tesson followed him, directing the paper from 1975 to 1983.
On the editorial side, Gilbert Charles served as an editor of the paper. Frédéric Lefèvre held the post the longest, from 1922 to 1949. Two more editors followed in turn: one for the 1949-1962 stretch, and a final editor who stayed on for the remainder of the paper's run. Under these changing editors, the paper's focus would drift far from where it started, eventually taking in cinema and science.
Cinema and science entered a magazine that had begun strictly literary and artistic, widening what counted as coverage worth printing. The shift moved the paper well past its original brief of books and the arts alone.
In 1924, the paper issued a special appendix called L'Art vivant, extending its arts coverage into a companion publication.
The magazine stopped printing entirely from 1940 to 1945, silenced by war before it resumed afterward.
Among those who wrote for the paper across its run was Raymond Woog, one name among a longer list of contributors who filled its pages.
Jean-Louis Ezine appears among the paper's collaborators, alongside Michel Field and Jeanne Cressanges. Pierre Billard, Pierrette Micheloud, and Pascal Mérigeau also contributed to its pages, as did Maurice Féaudierre. Madeleine Masson and Maryse Choisy round out the roster of writers tied to the paper's history.
Les Nouvelles littéraires itself stopped publishing for good in 1985.
Common questions
When was Les Nouvelles littéraires founded and who created it?
Les Nouvelles littéraires was founded in October 1922 by the publishing house Éditions Larousse. It began as a newspaper focused on literature and the arts.
Who directed Les Nouvelles littéraires over the years?
Les Nouvelles littéraires had an early director who led it from 1922 to 1936, followed by André Gillon and then his son Étienne Gillon. René Minguet directed the paper from 1971 to 1975, and Philippe Tesson directed it from 1975 to 1983.
What topics did Les Nouvelles littéraires cover?
Les Nouvelles littéraires covered literature and the arts at first, later expanding into cinema and science. In 1924 it also issued a special appendix called L'Art vivant.
When did Les Nouvelles littéraires stop publishing?
Les Nouvelles littéraires stopped publishing for good in 1985. It had also gone dark once before, ceasing publication from 1940 to 1945.
Who were some contributors to Les Nouvelles littéraires?
Contributors to Les Nouvelles littéraires included Raymond Woog, Jean-Louis Ezine, Michel Field, Jeanne Cressanges, Pierre Billard, Pierrette Micheloud, Pascal Mérigeau, Maurice Féaudierre, Madeleine Masson, and Maryse Choisy.
Who edited Les Nouvelles littéraires?
Gilbert Charles and Frédéric Lefèvre both served as editors of Les Nouvelles littéraires, with Lefèvre holding the post from 1922 to 1949. Two further editors followed, one from 1949 to 1962 and a final editor who remained until the paper closed in 1985.