a tenth edition still essential

The book sold each year for the benefit of Restos du coeur, sells less well, but is still essential for a charitable organization which is overwhelmed by requests for help. “13 at the table!” is published by Pocket Editions, always with the same principle: an imposed theme, and 13 short stories by 13 different authors.

“This year we increased the price, to be able to distribute more meals,” explains the editorial director of Pocket, Julie Cartier, to AFP. The 2023 edition costs 6 euros, compared to 5 euros previously. “And we must insist on saying to what extent everyone is involved: it’s not just the profits that go to the Restos, it’s all the income. The entire book chain works there voluntarily, from the authors to the booksellers through us, the publisher”she adds.

One collection purchased, 5 meals distributed

One book sold allows the charity to provide five meals. The first nine editions sold a total of 1.676 million copies, an average of 185,000 per year. The one that worked the best was the first, with 345,000 copies, and overall sales then declined. They still allowed the association founded by Coluche in 1985 to distribute 7.4 million additional meals.

Some authors are faithful, like Françoise Bourdin, who gave a short story in each of the first nine editions, before her death at the end of 2022. The 2023 edition is dedicated to her. Alexandra Lapierre has been there every year since the beginning, Agnès Martin-Lugand eight times. “We ask these authors for time to write a short story, and they respond favorably. We have new ones every year. The author Prix Goncourt in general joins us. And everyone finds their own style”according to Julie Cartier.

Franck Thilliez, Leïla Slimani, Philippe Jaenada and Raphaëlle Giordano are part of this 2023 edition. At the beginning of October, the general director of the charity Jean-Yves Troy warned that it would “refuse people for the first time in the history of Restos du coeur”.