I am a literary giant in Japan

Chapter 201: Unanimous Election! A Well-Deserved Masterpiece!
"To be honest, this work has greatly changed my view of Japanese literature."

Combesco told the old man truthfully,
"Most of the Japanese works submitted for selection in the past were filled with bloody violence and bizarre elements, which made me doubt the Japanese aesthetics and literary literacy, but this work..."

"Romance! The ultimate romance! The romance of carving love with death! This is what I see in this work." Another old lady suddenly came up and said, holding her glasses.

The relatively sentimental French often judge the quality of a literary work based on whether it can make people empathize with the author.

This is the exact opposite of the Japanese literary world’s pursuit of complexity, preaching, and obscurity.

Seeing someone talking about the only overseas work shortlisted, the academicians who were discussing other novels came closer and expressed their feelings about "Paradise Lost" one after another.

"The hero and heroine each have their own families, but they meet by chance and begin a passionate, persistent, and illicit love affair.

They are not seeking extramarital affairs because of lack of love, nor are they heading for divorce because of emotional aging. They are both tired of their families and yet nostalgic for them. All the gestures they make are self-defense when they don’t know how to defend themselves. They are the last stand in the last exciting stage of their lives.

“I think the title of Paradise Lost is a good interpretation of the author’s core writing philosophy:

Those who ate the forbidden fruit were expelled from Paradise.

In order to return to paradise and live there forever, they embarked on a journey of no return.

This is a soul-stirring masterpiece in which dream and reality, spirit and flesh, joy and pain are intertwined.

In terms of reading experience, it far surpasses the other nine shortlisted works!"

"A one-way ticket to this filthy world and death is enough.

Going to death with the one they love, the deepest connection between the hero and heroine, is it love or desire? Is this the ultimate romance or vulgar lust?
I have been reading the ending of the book over and over again these past few days, and suddenly I realized that at the end of the story, the author has already pointed out the answer I want.

The two of them felt bored, which meant that what had been entangled between them was lust, not love.

In other words, the free love that the hero and heroine pursued until death did not actually exist from the beginning."

After saying this, the academician suddenly remembered something, silently took off his glasses, gently wiped the corners of his eyes, and then said,

"This writer is said to be only 24 years old this year."

"Only 24?! Are you kidding me?!" Combesco felt that the award for Paradise Lost was a foregone conclusion.

Although the Goncourt Prize has never been awarded to an Asian author, the gap between it and the other nine shortlisted works is too huge.

The French love literature, admire literature, and are keen to promote high-quality literature.

If the Goncourt Prize were to lie with its eyes open, the value of the award would plummet!

In France, what is most lacking is various literary awards, and the reason why the Goncourt Prize can always occupy the highest throne is fairness, fairness, and fairness!

Having said that, as the youngest academician present and the winner of the 1991 Goncourt Prize, Combesco still felt mixed emotions when he saw that an Asian writer who was only years old was about to win the award.

What I have been pursuing and learning tirelessly throughout my life, others have already mastered at a young age. Is this the gap between ordinary people and geniuses?

"Not only is he only 24 years old, his reputation in Japan is no less than mine in France," the academician continued, his words full of admiration and respect.

Being able to become an indispensable part of a country's literary world means that he will definitely be written into the history of world literature in the future.

This should be the lifelong goal of all literature lovers and practitioners.

"Teacher Odmeson, you are exaggerating." Combesco's eyes widened, completely losing the temperament of a fifty-year-old famous writer!
Jean Audemaison is one of the representatives of contemporary French literature. His Chinese name is Duanmusong. Many literature lovers next door must have heard of this name.

He is still a member of the French Academy of Arts. His masterpiece, "History of the Eternal Wandering Jew", has set a terrifying record of 700 million copies of annual sales in France.

Apart from the works of some old French literary masters, no other contemporary French literary work can match the sales of this book. Odemeisson said that Kitagawa Hide is as famous in Japan as he is in France, which shocked the other academicians.

"I'm not kidding." Odmeisong shook his head and told his granddaughter the information he had asked her to look up a few days ago.

Kitagawa Hide released his debut novel "Hear the Wind Sing" in April last year, which not only caused a huge sensation in the Japanese literary world, but also broke various historical records in sales of its hardcover paperback edition, and also pulled up the crumbling Kodansha.

Since then, he has released several hit works in just one and a half years, the most well-known of which, "No Longer Human", is said to have sold over 500 million copies!
The French literature market is as big as the Japanese literature market, but even in this age when everyone is reading, if a French novel wants to sell 500 million copies in China in a year, probably only reprints of "Les Miserables" and "The Count of Monte Cristo" can do it.

From this, we can imagine how popular Kitagawa Hide is in Japan.

"My granddaughter said that Paradise Lost might not even be among the top three of all his works." Oddmesson's worldview was greatly refreshed a few days ago, and this time he specifically told these old friends about it.

Let them also feel the helplessness of the Yangtze River where the waves behind push the waves in front, and the waves in front die on the beach.

“Isn’t this even in the top three?” Combesco suddenly felt that he had lived his life for more than fifty years in vain.

These top French literary figures spend their days either drinking tea, eating cakes and reading books in their villas, or furiously writing new works in the library.

They consider themselves to be the trend-setters of European and American literature and should be at the top of the world literary scene.

Combesco even felt that if he continued writing for another decade or so, he should have the opportunity to win the Nobel Prize, which is the most coveted prize among writers, just like his predecessors!
So far, no writer has ever won both the Prix Goncourt and the Nobel Prize in Literature.

People outside say that the two awards are not convinced of each other, and everyone believes that they are the world's number one literary award, so they will not be awarded to the same writer at the same time.

But in reality, it’s just that the Nobel Prize winners in Literature are stronger every year.

just now.

Combesco suddenly felt that some of the things he held on to in his heart were slowly collapsing.

His teacher told him that they were all children picking up shells on the beach of literature.

It’s just that some people have better aesthetics and pick up better-looking shells, and some people have bigger hands and pick up more shells.

But now look at Kitagawa Hide.

He had the feeling that the other party was holding a sack of shells!

“Either Japanese readers are too crazy and haven’t read any good books,” Combesco whispered.

Odemeisson smiled and continued, "Either his literary talent is indeed enough to shock the world literary world, but this can only be judged by the introduction of his other novels in the future.

Ladies and gentlemen, after talking for so long, if you think that Paradise Lost deserves the award, please raise your hands and express your opinion. "

According to past practice, of the ten academicians, the five with lower seniority, such as Combesco, will each have one vote, while the five with higher seniority, such as Odemeisson, will each have two votes, which can be used separately.

As soon as he finished speaking, ten arms were raised up almost at the same time without hesitation!

The first unanimous winning work in the history of the Goncourt Prize was born!

Combesco raised his right hand. Although he felt deeply moved, the literary philosophy in his heart told him that there was no reason not to choose "Paradise Lost".

Among the ten works, it stands out from the rest!

The moment he raised his hand, he had the illusion that he had gently pushed the history of world literature forward.

Suddenly I wanted to fast forward to tomorrow afternoon and see the young Japanese writer in person!

(End of this chapter)