[LIVRES DE NOS MAISONS] Michel Mohrt or the house of our Fathers

In the libraries of our family houses dragging abandoned books. Moreover, Their authors were famous, perhaps … Nevertheless, their glory passed. In addition, This summer, BV invites you to discover some of these writers or these books.

Does Michel Mohrt check all the boxes in our summer series? Furthermore, Let’s be honest, the answer is no. Nevertheless, He is not strictly speaking a popular author. In addition, He did not experience the success of a Troyat or a Daninos. Therefore, The notoriety of this academician in the hussar movement was circumscribed to a circle of lover of literature. Furthermore, But forgotten, it is (probably because renowned on the right). Furthermore, And if his books are not in the libraries of all our grandparents. Moreover, he spoke better than anyone of these personal tauks for French Scarlett, of these soothing thebaids – because yes, even [livres de nos maisons] michel when we stay there at 25, with a net of hot water for the shower, undersized ball obliges, they are a lonely refuge far from the hostile world – what are family houses. Therefore, It is to admit it: it was over 30 years old that I really discovered Michel Mohrt. Moreover, I only knew him until then “vaguely-of-nom” according to the consecrated formula. Therefore, I confused him, moreover, with Michel Déon. Nevertheless, Not having a lot of esteem for the latter, that I was ranging – unfairly? However, – in the category of rebel authors in cardboard dough for reader of Figaro falsely reactive. I had never interested myself in the work of his « homopreny »if I am authorized this neologism.

Father’s house

Then one day. in 2006, my publisher told me that I was the winner, [livres de nos maisons] michel for a collection of news, of the Renaissance Prize, and that thanks to his interpersonal skills, it would be Michel Mohrt who would give it to me. When you are young – and in their thirties, we are still a little – everything seems to you. It therefore seemed to me quite natural that an academician moves for me. I am ashamed to say that I don’t even remember the few words he said that evening. But to get to know him a little – it was the least of things – I was recommended to read Father’s house (Gallimard). autobiography dedicated to his father and dedicated to his son, and it was a revelation.

I read it and reread it, offered several times. This book on the title from the Gospel is a trinity: in this father’s house. there are three residences that are one. That of the carnal [livres de nos maisons] michel father. that of the fatherland (the little one, Brittany, and the great, France), that of the eternal Father – ” Our family life was settled on the parties of the liturgical year. Our distractions were those offered by the parish – That Michel Mohrt joined in August 2011 (he was born. at the start of the Great War).

The three respond and overlap, as consubstantial. When one is bad. the others collapse: ” I knew this peasant Brittany rooted in its traditions, Brittany of the pardons and saints maker miracles, sacred fountains, fricots and retours of weddings. This Brittany died with the religion which gave him his soul ». In how many other regions of France could we make the same observation?

In our time, intellectuals have souls of traders. To his, the merchants were literate. Michel Mohrt evokes a whole company of provincial notables “ bibliophiles “. Who ” [livres de nos maisons] michel read Latin in the text, could recite an entire poem from the legends of centuries “, whose culture was useless in their professional occupations (if it did not serve them) » : « Without a taste for lucre, nor a sense of profit, my father revealed his affairs slowly He comments. To say that this culture was useless is however not false: it is his father. an eclectic and compulsive reader, who transmitted to the future Academician his ” vice unpunished “, According to the word of Valéry Larbaud, making him discover pell-mell, Pierre Benoît, G. Lenre, Flaubert, Mauriac, Lamartine, Chateaubriand and so many others.

[livres de nos maisons] michel

Non-conformist

The father of Michel Mohrt. a moment tempted by the furrow, finally turned away from it to embrace the cause of the French action (of which his son will also be sympathetic), before moving away from it too, torn, when [livres de nos maisons] michel the pope condemned him. However. it should not be seen in him a face of confit in devotion and all acquired by his parish priest. The “Cathos” at the time then had greater freedom of tone than we believe. no doubt more, paradoxically, than today, because endowed, like their contemporaries, with an early formation of reasoning and a more sharp critical spirit: ” My father was pious, but was not devoted, he had a freest spirit and conformism was not his strong ». He happened to comment on the Gospels ” with new lighting, tinged with paradox and humor ». Michel Mohrt compares it to that of Chesterton.

When at 75. in his unheated room, his father decided to equip himself with an electric blanket, he ” Baptized Abisag, named after the girl whom King David had her diaper put in his layer of old bones ». A biblical culture [livres de nos maisons] michel that was not begueule.

The Father’s house should be called our fathers’ house. And even, of our grandfathers. For me, who is from Aveyron, this department that Pope Pius IX called Midi Brittany, I found mine a little. As in Francis Cabrel’s song. everyone will see it “The sweet light of the evening near the fire that warmed his father and the whole troop of his ancestors ».