2023-11-12 19:01:00
the essentials Every year, the association organizes a book fair which has changed several times. The Appameans of the Book, created by a core of novelists and writers, will celebrate its thirtieth anniversary next spring.
On the cradle of the Appameans of Books, during the founding of the association, almost thirty years ago, a small core of fine writers and local historians focused, such as Alain Rouch, Georges-Patrick Gleizes, Louis Claeys or even Christine Clairmont. “The objective was to highlight the territory and its writers,” remembers Alain Rouch, who was president of the association for more than ten years, until 2015. But the Book fair has gradually transformed over the years.
Itinerant, from Capelles to Jeu-du-Mail
The Salon thus changed locations several times, from the Jeu-du-Mail room to the high school, via the Maison des Oeuvres, during the pandemic… “The first year, I remember, it was at the Capelles room, continues Alain Rouch. It had not yet been renovated. She was in her old juices. And that’s where we received Jean Giono’s daughter! She hadn’t said anything, but I think she must have found it unwelcoming.
Stone by stone, each person made their contribution to the building. Alain Rouch, for example, is at the origin of the short story competition relaunched in 2003, and which had existed episodically before. “We have between 80 and 220 responses each year,” continues Alain Rouch. The starting point will be given at the end of the month. We do not impose a particular theme, only the first two words of the text, its length as well…There are still some constraints.”
Nicole Bernard-Villa and Monique Itier want to give the Book Fair a facelift. DDM – DDM
Trying to get a makeover
The Salon has also changed its nature and diversified. “Today, we work with primary schools, and even middle schools,” points out Alain Rouch. The show has opened up to new themes: “For this year, we have chosen “L’Imaginaire”, continues Nicole Villa, who took over as president of the association last January. This theme allows us to turn to a younger audience, and also to offer innovative meetings.” A round table could thus bring together several CNRS researchers around the construction and roots of the imagination. The organizers also contacted a publishing house, “Les Moutons Électriques”, which publishes books “but whose content is very modern and current on “pop culture”, “geek culture”, fantasy and mythological fiction, right in our theme, continues Nicole Villa. This publishing house is aimed at a wide audience of teenagers, young people and young adults. Of course, nothing is certain yet. We are only prospecting and the road is always long from the cup to the lips.
See transform a “festival du livre”
Especially since the Book Fair is planning to undergo a new metamorphosis. “We have to renew ourselves,” confirms Monique Itier. The idea is to transform the show into a festival, confides Nicole Villa. We are thinking of bringing food trucks, for example, so that the public and the guest writers can share a moment of relaxation, if they wish. A new development, but no candles, for this thirtieth edition of the Book Fair. The event, and the association which has supported it since its beginnings, prefers to turn to new pages to write.
This year, the edition of the Salon du Livre will open with a conference hosted by the novelist Pascal Quignard, novelist, Prix Goncourt 2002. He recently published “Les Heures Heureuses”. To contact the association: lesappamennesdulivre@gmail. com
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