It is the lawyer at the Court, Vincent Tolédano who tells us the sad news. Marie Dabadie died on Christmas night at the age of 80. As he points out, she was “the tireless secretary of the Académie Goncourt, which she served with passion”, from 1988 to 2018. François Nourissier, then president of the prestigious prize, had recruited her. Marie Dabadie was also a delegate of the Marine Writers.
For her entry into the Goncourt Academy where she was the only employee, we remember how it started. The late François Nourissier, who ruled the roost over literary prizes, asked Marie Dabadie, then an unemployed journalist, the question: “We’re not going to beat around the bush: do you want to hold the house? » Surprised, she retorted: “But what house? – Goncourt Academy! » replies the one who was the “pope” of publishing.
Also read: Marie Dabadie, in the shadow of Goncourt
This is how this elegant woman who had officiated at Women’s Wear Daily, the bible of haute couture, found herself involved in the Goncourt adventure. It was in 1998. For twenty years, Marie Dabadie was the only employee of this prestigious institution born in 1903. Her title of secretary hid multiple, varied and essential functions. We should say “administrator”, because, in fact, she did a lot: secretarial work, communication, accounting of votes – very important -, management of numerous trips, and even bodyguard on the day of the appointment of the lucky winner – it was she who we saw every year, in the middle of the hysterical crowd, trying to guide the winner to the first floor of the Drouant restaurant. Today, Françoise Rossinot practices the difficult exercise with the same delicacy and firmness. You need both.
Marie Dabadie was essential during this quarter which begins with the first selection of the most coveted literary awards until its proclamation at the beginning of November. It was his peak of activity, even if the secretarial work requires effort all year round. She lived in the heart of the historic publishing house district. In his living room, everywhere you looked, there were novels and novels. From the literary season, of course, some in several copies. She received everything, like the jurors.
She attended all the deliberations, and was the first to read the jurors’ reports – around a hundred between the end of June and the end of August. She had forged strong links with the president at the time, Edmonde Charles-Roux, then with Bernard Pivot.
We can’t imagine how essential her role was, just like Françoise Rossinot. It must be said, for those who do not know the internal kitchen of the prizes, that, despite the strong notoriety of these laurels and their immense economic stake, the jury is only made up of volunteers, and we communicate as best we can.
The experience of this woman, mother of two sons she had with Jean-Loup Dabadie, was an asset for the Goncourts, whose mission does not stop at the fall season alone. They meet all year round, every first Tuesday of the month at Drouant for the Goncourt of the first novel, presented in March, which is becoming more and more important, also for the Goncourt of biography, short stories, poetry . The price is now exported.
His background as a journalist certainly helped him. After the Women’s Wear experience, Marie Dabadie created the American edition of Architectural Digest, specializing in art and design (in this monthly, a writer recounted his ideal house). She then co-directed a production company with Danièle Delorme to “keep track of the artists”, she emphasized. She also dabbled in directing and, for example, provided advice on a behind-the-scenes documentary on Mandela’s release. A course with extraordinarily multiple activities.
Daughter of Pierre-Étienne Guyot, first president of Paris Saint-Germain, she preferred cycling, rugby and the piano, which she practiced assiduously. And she had been unfaithful to Goncourt. She masterfully managed the association of Marine Writers, created by Jean-François Deniau, her ex-companion. She had been named, a title of which she was proud, “fregate captain of the citizen reserve”.
Bio Express
1964: Head of the Paris office of the fashion daily Women’s Wear Daily (WWD).1981: Co-directs with Danièle Delorme the production company Témoins.1987: Launches the French edition of the American magazine Architectural Digest (AD).1998: Becomes secretary of the Académie Goncourt.2007: Delegate to the association Les Écrivains de marine.
