Olivier Todd

Olivier Todd is a writer and Journaliste French born in 1929 at the American hospital of Neuilly-sur-Seine, father austro - Hungarian and of British mother .

Biography

Given up before even his birth by his father, a Jewish architect Austro-Hungarian of the name of Oblat, it is high only by his mother, a British immigrant in France in the years 1920. Itself” natural” child “of Dorothy Todd, the editor association of Vogue of the years 1920, it does not succeed in joining the United Kingdom in 1940 and must live courses deprived under the occupation.

Expressing communist sharp sympathies, she lives with the Release in cohabitation with the poet of Rumanian origin Claude Sernet, member of the PCF and active member of the National council of the writers. In this intellectual and communist medium, Olivier Todd thus knows a socialization family policy which offers a vision manichéenne to him world between “dreadful goods, reds and pink” and the “, white and fascistic” but also trotskists. Raise with the Lycée Henri-Iv then with the Debussy college of Saint-Germain-in-Bush hammer, it is by preparing its second baccalaureat that it binds friendship with the son of the writer Paul Nizan. Under the supervision of Sartre since the death of his/her father, this last introduces his/her sister to him, Anne-Marie, whom he marries after his success with the baccalaureat.

It then spends a year to London in his maternal grandmother who makes him obtain her entry with the Corpus Christi College of Cambridge. Atheist, not dividing the mixture of Anglicanism and Christian science of the latter, it is defined then as a progressist near to PCF but not being able to adhere to it because of the charges of treachery whose Party overpowers his/her late father-in-law. From 1948 to 1951, it follows studies of philosophy which make him discover the empirical tradition Anglo-Saxon (Ludwig Wittgenstein, Alfred Julius Ayer, George Edward Moore). It leaves there impermeable to philosophy sartrienne, the Métaphysique and with logorrhée of the French thinkers who play more than one poetic breath that of a requirement for clearness.

Thus, so of return to Paris, it starts its collaboration with the Modern times - parallel to various British literary reviews -, it is not posed like a disciple of Sartre. It wishes above all to pass the English aggregation. However, if it obtains in the Sorbonne its license and its, it fails by twice (1953 and 1954) the contest. It must then be subjected to its military obligations, initially within the press service of the army, then with the Morocco. It draws from it its first book, a half countryside (Julliard, 1956), which is caught some through French Army. Prefaced by Sartre, this book obtains a certain echo thanks to the Modern times which publish of it an extract under the title Lost the (included in the edition into 10-18 of 1973). As from 1956, he teaches with the international college of SHAPE to Saint-Germain-in-Bush hammer all while occupying there of the local responsibilities within PSU. Former member with the New Left come with the policy by anticolonialism, his orientation progressive towards journalism obliges it however to be detached some gradually. Indeed, if it put a foot in journalism by ensuring of the measuring rods for the literary supplement of the Times, it is only after the critical failure of its second novel, the Crossing of the English Channel (Julliard, 1960), that it turns to this trade. It approaches then Jean-François Revel which divides its opening in the world and the Anglo-Saxon methods. However, this last, which is director of the literary column of France Observer, invites it to publish measuring rods there. It covers the Anglo-Saxon literature there then television in the shape of a signed chronicle Pierre Maillard.

In 1963, its nomination at the station of assistant at the audio-visual Institute of ENS Saint-Cloud diverts it only temporarily its new way because the materials lack of means and the design of the televisual fact which reigns there quickly make him give up its hopes of university career. Thus, he does not hesitate, in spite of the loss of a tenth of his wages and warnings of Revel over the risks of bankruptcy of the newspaper, to enter to France Observer when one makes him the proposal of it. Substitute Jean-Christmas Gurgand in June 1964, it gives up his university and political functions.

If it is not directly associated with the negotiations preliminary to the launching of the Nouvel Observateur, it forms part of it as of its launching, seeing in the guarantee sartrienne a pledge which it is not a question of “an equivocal or doubtful company” . Besides Gilles Martinet provides him, as at all the former members of France Observer, the money to become shareholder about it.

Moved away from the internal quarrels of the first times because he is not really regarded as old of France Observer, he gets along quickly well with the director of the drafting. This last appreciates the general-purpose and Anglo-Saxon character of its work but also its collaboration with an institution as prestigious as the BBC which has, inter alia, the interest to deal with the cost of displacements abroad. Thus, while at the same time he is still neophyte in the trade, he is sent in 1965 to cover for two months the Guerre of Vietnam. If not, it divides the political line followed by Jean Daniel and is the subject of a certain consideration on behalf of this last if one believes the publication of it (attends) his articles and the use of the tu of which it makes him the honor.

It is not shocked less by it by some practical in progress with the newspaper such as the rises in wages than one proposes to him in the form of notes of expenses. This criticism towards the methods of the direction shows through in May 1968 when, with Rene Backmann, it takes the head of the internal dispute with Jean Daniel. At the time of a meeting of the Committee of press of the Sorbonne, it even invites to put “fine at the dictatorship of Jean Daniel in Nouvel Observateur” . But, if it continues to dispute the direction, it returns quickly to more moderate political positions like illustrates it its support for the laws of Edgar Faure on the University.

In parallel, he collaborates in various British and American publications (Times Literary Supplement, New Statesman, Hudson Review) like with various emissions of B.B.C (“Europa”, “Twenty furnace hours”). In November 1969, it leaves Nouvel Observateur to integrate the Desgraupes team like person in charge of the news magazine Panorama. During nine months, it interviews there personalities like Louis Vallon, Roger Garaudy or Jean-Paul Sartre. But in June 1970, a political censorship concerning the diffusion of the Battle of Algiers the fact of resigning. Recalled in a friendly way by Claude Perdriel, it returns to Nouvel Observateur with the title of writer as an chief-assistant and the direction of the heading company. In spite of the reserves that Jean Daniel expresses with regard to his promotion, it takes over, without difficulty, Pierre Bénichou with head of the service Our Time . If the first weeks are somewhat conflict with Jean Daniel, it finds its marks rather quickly and makes sure completely of the right to choose the articles of its heading. It introduces also the idea of pre-synopsis into all the services in order to avoid the “bubbles” and the “doubled blooms”. With like assistant Paul Boncour then Christiane Duparc, it endeavors to manage the rebels of her team (Katia D. Kaupp, Mariella Righini, Yvon Valiant the) and of large the reporters which, such Jean-Francis Held, Guy Sitbon or Josette Alia, collaborate in it more or less regularly.

These efforts to start again the heading bear their fruits quickly. It is thus under its direction that the newspaper publishes its number on the abortion (n°334 - April 5th, 1971). But it also succeeds in doing the One with other files with the libertarian contents such as “the sexuality of the children” (n°325 - February 1st, 1971), “the sexuality of the French” (n°415 - October 22nd, 1972), “the country where all” is allowed (n°347 - July 5th, 1971). It does not give of it less echo to more political files such as “Justice with the Frenchwoman” (n°421 - December 4th, 1972), “the suburbs of the fear” (n°449 - June 18th, 1973) or “the thirty last years of the ground” (n°361 - October 11th, 1971). However, wearied of its work of rewriter , it leaves the reins of the service with Christiane Duparc to devote itself to the writing and the reports. It publishes thus the Year of the Crab (R. Lafont, 1972), account in which it tells his meeting again with his father. It also continues to cover the war of Vietnam with a militancy pro Viet Minh not dissimulated. It even comes from there to try to publish talks with American prisoners cursing their government and renting their geôliers but Jean Daniel prevents some. In September 1973, a visit in zone held by GRP then makes him become aware at which point this last is “in the South the secular arm and ideological of the Communist government of Hanoi” . It draws from it an article in which, without hiding its fears towards the projects of “reunification” and “rehabilitation” of this movement, it evokes “violences” near the civil populations.

However, whereas he had asked Serge Lafaurie “to sweeten the picturesque one and to keep the policy” , editor association makes the reverse, constant in that by Jean Daniel in the name of the principle that “it-be-too-early-for saying it” . Shocked of such a process, it selected to express of it the political contents in a maintenance with Realities. While estimating that the “provietnamienne attitude rises partly from the anti-Americanism in which takes pleasure intelligentsia at it, as well as feeling of guilt of the highly developed White with respect to the Third World countries” , it is caught some with this unit “stereotypes with carries part and of passion reactions caused by the war of Vietnam” which put forever “to the test of realities” .

In Obs, its remarks cause an outcry. If Pierre Bénichou recognizes the right to him to express himself, De Galard and Lafaurie takes refuge in a reprobatory silence, Michel Bosquet claims his degradation and Jacques-Laurent Bost request his dismissal. As for Jean Daniel, he proposes to him, initially to retract in Réalités, then to be explained in front of the learned assembly “of all those which count” in the newspaper. Refusing, he sees himself withdrawing the cover of the war of Vietnam to the profit of Jean Lacouture. Two years later, it will express its considerations on the conflict in the form of a fiction entitled the Ducks of Mao (the French Club of the book, 1975).

This act of censure marks the beginning of a slow catch of distance as well with the leading activity as with the political line of the newspaper. As from 1973, it thus starts to collaborate in Newsweek International all while being limited, with Obs, some talks and reports in the Anglo-Saxon countries.

It also draws from this experiment Vietnamese of the consequences, as for Communism, which feel in his critical report/ratio with the Union of the Left. Amorçant a political centring which results in the clearer assertion of its “deeply social democrat” temperament , it does not hide its interest for the side “liberal, tocquevillien, reforming” of the third president of Ve République. It even comes from there, in May 1977, to publish a biography of Valery Giscard d'Estaing ( Hopscotch of Giscard , Club of book) which plays a “key role in the ideological debates and large the political shocks” of the moment.

It is right besides after Nouvel Observateur ensured of it the promotion which it decides to join Jean-François Revel with the Express train, in June 1977. Explaining its gesture at the same time by a “need to change and political divergences” , it is considered then as a social democrat “resolutely anticommunist” whose regard can go to “certain leaders of the PS worthy of confidences” but not to PCF.

Entered as leader-writer with freedom to invite to vote on the left with the next legislative elections, it enters to the leading committee in August 1977 before being named, two months later, editor association, responsible for the long-term plans. In September 1978, he becomes editor association, assistant with the new director, his friend Jean-François Revel. At this station, he does not hesitate to discharge Jean-Francis Held in 1979 and to try to make in the same way with Franz-Olivier Giesbert, Claire Bretécher and François Caviglioli. Supporting Jean-François Revel in his search for large signatures in the intellectual field, it follows overall the line of the latter until, a One too judged partisane during the two turns of the presidential election, causes, in May 1981 their departure.

After having published at Grasset of the novels like the Negotiation (1989) and Sanglière (1992), it is detached some at the end of the Nineties as its novel Corrigez shows it me if I am mistaken published at the Nile editions in 1998. It is centred then on the biography while publishing, in prestigious collection “NRF Biographies” of Gallimard, those of Albert Camus (1996) and Andre Malraux (2001).

Random links: