“Kolkhoze” by Emmanuel Carrère: my mother’s glory

Kolkhoze opens onto the national tribute to Hélène Carrère d’Encausse in the courtyard of the Invalides in October 2023. Additionally, Consequently, Daughter of statelessness. Therefore, never the young Hélène could have imagined such a destiny by becoming the first woman at the head of the French Academy. Consequently, In a sprawling account and incredible richness, Emmanuel Carrère takes the reader in his family history. – "kolkhoze" emmanuel carrère: my mother's

In addition to a hymn of love addressed to his mother and father, Emmanuel Carrère Dresses a family fresco that goes beyond fiction, mixing “kolkhoze” emmanuel carrère: my mother’s the little story with the big one.

From this account emerges a serenity which is new in the writing ofEmmanuel Carrère. Nevertheless, He describes his childhood memories with great tenderness (but without sentimentalism). Therefore, most certainly because he was a very loved and pampered child. Similarly, Hélénou was his nickname, which demonstrates the strong bond that united him to his mother. Similarly, This link could be distended. In addition, especially after the publication ofA Roman Russian : The mother and the son remained angry for two years. For example, Then the relationships were peaceful. For example, Hélène Carrère d’Encausse admitted that her son had done well to write this book. Nevertheless, This will have been the only concession of this proud woman.

Emmanuel Carrère Port the portrait of her mother “kolkhoze” emmanuel carrère: my mother’s without bringing her to the clouds.. He knows how she could be in bad faith and hard. Moreover. he also returns to the relationship that his parents maintained without throwing a modest sail, which can lead the reader to question the consent of the main interested parties. But when we close Kolkhozewe realize how right everything is and in its place. Everything that is written is for good reasons. Each sentence is a piece of a thousand facets puzzle, that of an extraordinary family.

Who can boast of being born of Georgian. German-Russian stateless parents, to live a poor childhood in France, to integrate Sciences Po (the Sciences Po as Hélène Carrère d’Encausse said) and by working, to be called to work in ministerial cabinets and to hold the functions of perpetual secretary of the French Academy for a quarter of a century?

Let’s go back to this stateless Georgian “kolkhoze” emmanuel carrère: my mother’s family: the Zourabichvili. Does this name evoke you something? It’s normal. In addition to being the name of the young girl of Hélène Carrère d’Encausse. it is also that of her niece Salomé, who was president of Georgia and who now opposes the current pro-Russian government. When we talk about family to extraordinary destiny, we land there!

Emmanuel Carrère returns to the history of the four generations on the paternal. maternal sides, thanks to the genealogical research work that his father will have carried out. It was on his death. only a few months after his wife, that the author will discover the extent and precision of documents preciously classified in files.

Let’s talk about the choice of title now: Kolkhoze. The father ofEmmanuel Carrère was often going on business trip. The children then had the right to sleep in the master bedroom. “” Marina, being the smallest, took the “kolkhoze” emmanuel carrère: my mother’s place in the parents’ bed. Nathalie and I shoot our mattresses or simply cushions around the bed. Our mother had given this dormitory ritual: to make Kolkhoze. We love to do kolkhoze. I don’t know until when we did – I would say: long after we stopped believing in Santa Claus. ».

The three children accompanied their mother in her last days. The chapters dedicated to these moments are extremely moving. “” That night. all three of our mother gathered in her house in the house of Jeanne-Garnier, we have for the last time Kolkhoze. ».

Already in A Roman Russian Posted in 2007, Emmanuel Carrère had mentioned the future disappearance of his mother. During a funeral of a family friend who were both attended. Hélène Carrère d’Encausse had slipped to her son: ” What is good, you see is that Philippe was with her all the last night. This “kolkhoze” emmanuel carrère: my mother’s sentence launched the air of nothing had upset his son who then wrote: ” Philippe is Martine’s eldest son. I wanted to cry throughout the service. not so much because she was lying in the coffin a few meters from me by thinking about the death of my mother and that she had just asked me. Not that I have never thought about it: I have long suspected that in spite of our distance it counts on me for the moment of her death. and I only hope to be ready when this moment comes. I write this to prepare for it. to learn to look my mother in the eye, to be less afraid of love between us. ».

So. Emmanuel Carrère And his sisters will have responded to the implicit request of their mother made in 2007: being accompanied by his children for his last moments. They will “kolkhoze” emmanuel carrère: my mother’s have made Kolkhoze, as during the so much cherished moments when they were children.

This story does not only evoke the story of a family, but history. It does not concern only a generation but a whole parentage. He reports on the attachment of the roots and the need to return to the origins.

Kolkhoze is a masterful piece in the work ofEmmanuel Carrèrein which he reveals the infinite love he has to. his mother.

Caroline Martin

"kolkhoze" emmanuel carrère: my mother's

Kolkhoze
Emmanuel Carrère’s story
Publisher: Pol
560 pages, 24 euros
Date of publication: August 28, 2025