Why President Sarkozy rails against this 17th century woman writer.
Her most acclaimed book is selling like hot brioche in France with its tale of political and romantic intrigue. Striking lecturers and their students have recently staged public readings of her work – and all because President Sarkosy stated publicly that he can’t see why she’s an important part of French cultural education – she is the 17th century writer Madame de la Fayette. Jenni is joined by David Looseley, Professor of Contemporary French Culture at University of Leeds and Pollie Bromilow, Lecturer at University of Liverpool and specialist in early modern French literature to discuss why the furore over her worth has been called “the most startling political-literary phenomenon of the moment".
