The writer and presenter Bernard Pivot has died at the age of 89. The president of Éditions Actes Sud speaks of an “incredible, extraordinary man, who impressed a lot”.
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“Beings like that are monuments”declared Monday May 6 on franceinfo Françoise Nyssen, former Minister of Culture and president of Éditions Actes Sud, after the death of Bernard Pivot at the age of 89. “Our whole life has been marked by memories with Bernard Pivot”she adds. “He meant a lot to readers and publishers”. According to her, he also “a bit of life in Actes Sud”. She claims that the first time that a book from the publishing house “was listed in ‘Apostrophes’ and ‘Bouillon de culture’, it was the consecration. It brought out real successes”.
The former Minister of Culture remembers a man “very human” and wants to tell a memory: “Once, he came to Arles and we went to the market together. You can’t know what it was like to go to the market in Arles with Bernard Pivot. He stopped at all the stands. We felt that he was loved, that people knew him. All this around books. What a joy.
Regarding the social network X (formerly Twitter), she recalls that“he was fascinated by the idea of transmitting very short, very effective messages”, in reference to the numerous messages posted by Bernard Pivot on his account. She talks about a “incredible, extraordinary man, who impressed a lot”. Concerning its broadcasts, the president of Éditions Actes Sud assures us, “he did not spare, with love and humor, his guest”.
“It’s so important to have programs of this quality, with book publishers who are demanding and passionate.”
Françoise Nyssen, former Minister of Culture and president of Éditions Actes Sudat franceinfo
For Françoise Nyssen “no point criticizing books to tear them down”what you need above all “these are people who make you want to read and who bring people of all ages to reading”. For her, “those who continue this are incredible”, like Bernard Pivot. She emphasizes that one must be “permanently attentive to all these smugglers” because, she concludes, “reading can change your life”.