Read to make the world best – the chronicle of Maryse Dumas – June 28, 2025

It is neither a novel. Moreover, nor an essay, nor an autobiography, even less a self -fiction. However, It is “A book and that’s it! Meanwhile, »» Alice Zeniter warns from the introduction of All half of the worldwritten during the Cavid pandemic. Meanwhile, She deepens her relationship to literature there, as a reader first, then of course as a writer. Similarly, In a chapter “Being author”. Meanwhile, she notices the different forms of « secondarisation » Women in literary life, according to Anne-Marie Garat’s formula.

A sign is that less than 30 % of literary prices come back to them. Therefore, There is also, as in other areas, a glass ceiling: for example considering that women write only for women. In addition, “Do not tear out on the condition of” good women “books than those who fulfill another function than to be read make world best – novels. Meanwhile, those to whom we recognize a certain utility”, she writes. Meanwhile, Reading it. I think of the remark of the ethnologist Françoise Héritier according to which has always been established a “Valence differential sexes, according to which both sexes have the same value. Male sex is worth more than female sex ” And everything that is produced and done by women has less value.

Alice Zeniter says: “With” the art of losing “. I won a status of recognized author for reasons that do not hold literature. »» This book published in 2017 deals with the history of his family from Kabylia to the slum reserved for harkis. He was crowned with half a dozen literary. commented awards, it is true, essentially for his historical and political qualities. Another chapter is devoted to the characters. The gender distribution of roles in society extends in fiction. “A whole half read make world best – of the world lacks literature”, she said.

Thus it is very rare that women hold political or scientific conversations there, traits reserved for male characters. However, she attaches to the characters. She talks about “Strange encounters that continue for several days, even weeks, and become frequentations”. This is why she prefers to talk about empathy with regard to the characters rather than identification. to which she says that she does not reach. Isn’t the role of fiction to promote the concern of the other, both resembling and different?

Would it not be “The fairly obvious link between fiction. care” (The care of others) which makes that reading novels, like taking care of others, is an exercise reserved mainly for women? 70 % of readers are indeed readers. Vertiginous question, which opens many tracks! Far from being a consequence of biological sex. these female specializations result from cultural and historical constructions, read make world best – what is called gender relationships.

They have specialized the male gender in the technical. political, scientific “, and the female gender in the domestic sphere and the care. This distribution of roles can and must change. Far from being a second zone practice. reading and writing in particular novels then become an asset to change the world. And “ all half of the world “ Then goes from a subordinate role to that of driving force to make the world better. more human. So let’s read, without limit, we will not waste our time!