Spring 2014

20
foreign
rights list
Spring 2014
2000
2014
2000-2014
Bestsellers without borders!
Out of 322 books published
80% 244 titles
on
to the bestseller list
(
) made it
70%
187
have been sold abroad
of all titles excluding translations (
75,000
10 times larger
Average print-run:
titles)
copies
than the average
print-run for French trade publishing
reference
commercial fiction
and mass-market non-fiction
The brand XO is a
for readers of
Christian Jacq
Guillaume Musso José Frèches
Romain Sardou
Souad
Leila
27 Million
copies in the world
29 languages
19 Million
copies in the world
36 languages
1.8 Million
copies in France
18 languages
2.3 Million
copies in the world
36 languages
895 000
copies in the world
21 languages
1.6 Million
copies in France
23 languages
p. 3
p. 6
p. 8
Guillaume Musso
Bernard Minier
Anne Plichota and Cendrine Wolf
Central Park
Don’t Turn Out the Light
Tugdual. V1. The Black Hearts
p. 10 Romain Sardou
Fräulein France
p. 11 Mireille Calmel
The Marquise de Sade
p. 12 Marianne Tran
Love Addict
p. 13 Mireille Calmel
Richard the Lionheart
p. 14 Charlotte Valandrey
To the 8th Heaven
p. 15 Cyril Massarotto
God’s White Lie
p. 16 Christian Jacq
Nefertiti, the Shadow of the Sun
p. 17 Ghislaine de Védrines and Jean Marchand
Diabolical
p. 18 Max Gallo
The Fall of the Roman Empire
p. 19 Christine Pedotti
Jesus, the Unknown Man
p. 20 The Black Book of the Condition
of Christians in the World
Guillaume Musso
Central Park
400 p.
Published
March 27, 2014
Partial English
translation available
Unforgettable
characters,
blown away by
one surprise
after another.
• “Unpredictable and moving,
a psychological thriller that
keeps you holding your
breath up to the astounding
finale.” METRO
© Patrick Blanchard / Nice Matin
FIRST
PRINT RUN:
400,000
COPIES!
NOVEL
Guillaume Musso
is a phenomenon.
Through his eleven novels,
translated the world over,
this 39-year-old
has conquered the hearts
of millions of readers,
and has imposed an original
style, where suspense
and emotion are closely
woven together.
© Joe Josephs Photography/ GettyImage : skyline
Alice and Gabriel have no memory of the night before… yet they
won’t forget it anytime soon.
New York, 8am.
Alice, a young Parisian cop, and Gabriel,
American jazz pianist, wake up on a bench in
Central Park handcuffed to one another.
They don’t know each other and have no memory of having met.
The night before, Alice was at a party with her girlfriends on the
Champs-Elysées and Gabriel was playing piano in a club in Dublin.
Impossible? And yet…
So many questions leave them confounded. How did they get
themselves into such a dangerous situation? Whose blood has
stained Alice’s shirt? Why is one bullet missing from her gun?
Alice and Gabriel are left with no choice but to team up to figure
out what is happening to them and get back to their normal lives.
What they are going to discover will turn their lives upside down.
The finely-executed suspense grips you from the very first pages
and will not let go. n
© Plainpicture/PhotoAlto/L.Hamels
An intense, addictive and
irr esis tible r ead.
3
11 bestsellers in 11 years!
*source GFK
More than 19 Million copies
worldwide
THE #1 BESTSELLING
FRENCH NOVELIST FOR
3 YEARS STRAIGHT*
Praise for Guillaume Musso in France…
4
• “What an acrobat! Guillaume Musso is
a magician of suspense, an extratemporal acrobat who constantly works
on improving his show.” Le Parisien
• “Endearing characters and suspense.
The investigation keeps us holding our
breath right up to the end.”
France 2, midday news
• “Musso’s style is as effective and
cinematic as ever.” Le Point
• “Guillaume Musso confirms his true
talent as a storyteller.” TV Mag/Le Figaro
• “A breath-taking suspense novel paired
with a poignant romantic comedy
through the lens of time. A guaranteed
success.” RTL
• “Fascination ensues. We dive into the
‘Musso mystery’ like children jumping
into puddles with both feet at once.”
Le Parisien
Sold in 36 languages
ALBANIA
BRAZIL
BULGARIA
CHINA
CROATIA
CZECH REPUBLIC
ESTONIA
GERMANY
GEORGIA
GREECE
HUNGARY
ITALY
ISRAEL
JAPAN
KOREA
LATVIA
LEBANON
LITHUANIA
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
Bota
Verus
Itzok Zapad
Hachette Phoenix
Ljevak
Motto Albatros
Eesti Raamat
Pendo
Palitra L
Esoptron
Ulpius Haz
Sperling & Kupfer
Kinneret
Shogakukan
Balgungsesang
Zvaigzne ABC
Sama
Baltos Iankos
MACEDONIA
MONTENEGRO
NETHERLANDS
NORWAY
POLAND
PORTUGAL
ROMANIA
RUSSIA
SERBIA
SLOVAKIA
SPAIN
SLOVENIA
SWEDEN
TAIWAN
THAILAND
TURKEY
UK
VIETNAM
… and abroad!
• “A little mysterious, a lot romantic and
plenty entertaining.” Cosmopolitan (UK)
• “Passion, mystery and fantasy:
the composition of Guillaume Musso’s
novels.”
La Reppublica (Italy)
• “A fantastic thriller that I couldn’t put
down.” Flair (Netherlands)
• “Riveting and full of emotion.” Elle
(Germany)
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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>
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>
Toper
Nova Knjiga
A.W. Bruna
Pantagruel
Albatros
Bertrand
Allfa
Eksmo
Vulkan
Ikar
Penguin Random House
Ucila
Damm
Crown
Amarin
Dogan Egmont
Gallic
Nha Nam
Visit Guillaume Musso on Facebook and on
http://www.guillaumemusso.com
• “Smoothly and efficiently written.
[Musso] tackles major subjects with great
narrative tension.” Dziennik (Poland)
• “Musso's books have everything to be
successful: an original plot, a unique
style, strong and vivid characters.”
Metro (Russia)
• “A novel that measures up to the readers’
standards and wishes.” Sisa Times (South
Korea)
5
Bernard
Minier
DON’T TURN
N’éteins pas
la lumière
THRILLER
612 p.
Published February 27, 2014
Partial English translation
available
“You did nothing.”
Christine Steinmeyer thought the letter she found in her mailbox on
Christmas Eve wasn’t meant for her. But the man calling in to her radio
show seems convinced otherwise.
Bit by bit, strange things keep happening…it’s as if someone has taken
control of her life. Everything holding Christine up crumbles until all that
is left is an unimaginable nightmare.
Martin Servaz is on leave in a clinic for depressed cops, haunted by
childhood sweetheart Marianne’s kidnapping by his nemesis, the
psychopath Julian Hirtmann. One day, he receives a key card to a hotel
room in the mail – the room where an artist committed suicide a year
earlier. Someone wants him to get back to work, which he’s more than
ready to do, despite being on mandatory sick leave…
What if the people closest to us are not what they seem? What happens
when someone takes control of your life and your relationships? And
what is hiding in the darkness?
Don’t turn out the lights…and if you do, prepare for the worst! n
After two major successes with Iced and
The Circle, Bernard Minier explores our
most secret nightmares, phobias and
obsessions in this thriller about
manipulation and control.
A L R E A DY
50,000
COPIES
IN PRINT!
• “We don’t see anything coming, but we’re dying to understand.
The hallmark of a great detective novel.” Elle (France)
• “Bernard Minier takes us on a fascinating treasure hunt, even daring to take a
detour in outer-space. Disturbing right up to the end!” Télé 7 Jours (France)
• “This well-documented, visual and musical third novel adresses harassment and
manipulation accurately and with feeling.” France Info (France)
On his previous works, Iced and The Circle:
• “Great story-telling with a creeping sense of dread that would not disgrace Stephen
King at his best.” The Daily Mail (UK)
• “We loved Iced, his first novel and it was reasonable to wonder if his second novel
would be up to snuff. Bernard Minier has risen to the challenge.” Elle (France)
• “A masterpiece.” Baden Journal (Germany)
6
Photo © Bruno Lévy / Photo12.com
OUT THE LIGHT
MORE
THAN
300,000
COPIES!
RIGHTS SOLD
IN 10 COUNTRIES
Bernard Minier was born in Béziers and
grew up in southwestern France. He now
lives near Paris and writes full-time.
MULHOLLAND/HODDER (UK),
MINOTAUR/ST. MARTINS (US
via HODDER) ROCA (SPAIN),
PIEMME (ITALY), DROEMER
(GERMANY), REBIS (POLAND),
GABO (HUNGARY),
PEGASUS (TURKEY),
ZVAIGZNE ABC (LATVIA),
XANDER (NETHERLANDS)
Visit Bernard Minier on Facebook and on
http://www.bernard-minier.com/
7
T UGDUA L
Tugdual
v.1: The Black
Hearts
Tugdual - T1 : Les Cœurs
noirs
A novel of noir love, about teens who
are trapped and willing to do anything
to change their somber destiny.
FA N TA S Y
SERIES
IN 3 VOLUMES
To be published
October 2014
Just shy of 18, Tudgual’s family is not exactly like other families. Like
him, they all have magical powers. Abakum, his grandfather,
Mortimer, his 17-year-old brother and Zoe, his 16-year-old sister and
Tugdual are the only four who were not able to go back to Edefia,
Oksa Pollock’s Promised Land.
Now stuck in our world, they must hide their powers. But that is not
all: another secret weighs heavily on their hearts. In spite of
themselves, they are irresistibly attractive to others. What’s worse,
this attraction is lethal to anyone experiencing it.
To soothe and distract themselves, they spend all of their time on their
increasingly successful pop rock band “The No-Body”. Music allows
them to be appreciated for something they do and not for the evil
within them. But as soon as love comes into play, things become
dangerously complicated. n
A MUSICAL LAUNCH : FIND REAL SONGS
FROM THE BAND THE NO - BODY ONLINE!!
Visit Tugdual on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/LesChroniquesDeTugdual and on
http://www.tugdual-cobb.com
8
A NEW SERIES BY
THE AUTHORS OF
400,000
COPIES SOLD!
Photo ©Yury Toroptsov / Photo12.com
Tudgual is the character from
the Oksa Pollock series who
most fascinated readers.
Fantasy and suspense are the
ingredients of this new spin-off.
More than just a book, this is a
veritable universe for young
adults.
Anne Plichota
and Cendrine Wolf
Anne Plichota: 46 years old, she lives in Strasbourg
with her daughter. After studying the Chinese language
and culture, she spent some time in Korea and worked in
China. She has had several jobs: Chinese teacher,
nurse’s aide, public letter writer
and librarian. She enjoys working; English and American
literature; Gothic literature; listening to people
and hearing about their stories.
Cendrine Wolf: 45 years old, she lives in Strasbourg.
She studied sports and worked in the socio-cultural
environment, in so-called “problem” neighborhoods.
Dynamic, spontaneous and determined,
she loves illustrating, speed in every shape
and form, and fantasy literature.
“Great fun” Financial Times
“Fantastic” The Guardian
“An adventure that rivals the Harry
Potter books” Bookseller
SOLD IN 27
LANGUAGES!
9
Romain Sardou
Fräulein France
France plays a dangerous and
thrilling game in times of war.
September 1940. Occupied France.
In a French village, a large town house is requisitioned. One evening,
two drunk men rape the woman of the house and brutally murder her
husband.
NOVEL
Photo ©Emanuele Scorceletti
To be published May 7, 2014
Partial English translation
available
In Paris, German soldiers take advantage of la vie Parisienne: the
brothels have opened back up. Word gets around about one of their
residents who is causing quite a stir: France is not only drop-dead
gorgeous, she is also very demanding. She and she alone decides
which men will have the pleasure of her services. What is she hiding
behind her cold exterior? Nothing that she does is left to chance
because she has a master plan driving her forward. With Paris in the
hands of the enemy, she enters into the highest circles of power and
mingles with the worst collaborators. The secret she hides would
certainly come as a shock to many… n
Born in 1974 of a long line of artists,
Romain Sardou developed a passion
at a young age for opera, theatre and
literature. He left the lycée in the
year before graduation with the firm
intention of becoming a playwright.
After living 2 years in Los Angeles,
where he wrote scripts for children,
he came back to France and wrote a
very successful first novel Forgive us
our Sins followed by other successful
medieval thrillers, contemporary
thrillers, as well as a philosophical
novel.
10
ROMAIN SARDOU’S NOVELS:
A GUARANTEED SUCCESS!
SOLD IN 18 LANGUAGES
1.8 MILLION COPIES SOLD IN FRANCE
Mireille Calmel
The Marquise de Sade
La Marquise de Sade
An epistolary novel between
the Marquis’ very prudish and
virtuous wife and a mysterious
stranger.
On the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Sade’s death, our most prolific
novelist has taken an interest in this little-known spouse. With the charm
and power of libertine innuendo, she brings this period of moral revolution
at the court of Versailles back to life.
You may have forgotten that the Marquis de Sade was married. To a sweet
and prudish young woman who feel head-over-heels in love with him. But
she refuses to partake in any pleasureful activities with him, as she considers
these things lacking in virtue.
An anonymous friend writes to her to reveal the extent of her husband’s
mischief and to invite her to witness it herself.
NOVEL
To be published
May 7, 2014
Partial English
translation available
Photo © Bridgeman
Photo © Bruno Lévy / Photo12.com
Heartbroken and disillusioned, impotent and astounded, she observes her
husband’s behavior and the scale of her misfortune. She begins exchanging
letters with this friend, who goes from a zealous denouncer to true friend,
keen to share secrets and advice in the hopes of introducing the Marquise
to the sweeter things in life. n
A fascinating epistolary novel
set in the Paris of Enlightenment
and of libertinism.
Born in 1964, Mireille Calmel has been
writing since she the age of eight.
Like many authors, her writing career
started discreetly, with songs, short
stories, plays. Then, she took several years
to write her first novel, Eleanor's Bed (XO,
2002), the success of which was like a
fairytale come true for Mireille. She has
published a total of 7 novels with XO, all of
which have been best-sellers.
Mireille lives in the Aquitaine region with
her husband and two children.
11
Marianne Tran
Love Addict
A taste of chic and sensual
Paris that will appeal to readers
of The Devil Wears Prada and
Fifty Shades of Grey.
A humorous and erotic journey through the most iconic spots in Paris!
NOVEL
To be published
June 5, 2014
Partial English
translation available
Marianne Tran studied
literature and journalism and
has worked for several years in
the media field. She currently
works for a luxury magazine
Palace Costes.
Love Addict is her first
novel.
12
When an idealistic and stubborn American finds herself thrown
into the cutthroat world of a major Parisian mass media
company…
Claire Carlson, a 30 year-old American
living in France, leaves her irresponsible
stock broker of a husband who squandered
all of her money. An attractive young blonde of
Ukrainian descent, she catches the eye of
Philippe Lartrigue, the head of a mass
media company at a party. He
helps her get a job developing
her romantic advice blog,
loveaddict.com, into a fullblown dating website.
On the road to success, Claire
must face many obstacles,
first and foremost of which is
her direct superior, the
handsome and mysterious
Frederic Fort. For once, her
charm does not seem to work. At
work and at play, will Claire
manage to get what she wants?
DEBUT
NOVEL!
Mireille Calmel
Richard the Lionheart
v2:The Knights of the Grail
Richard Cœur de Lion. v2: Les Chevaliers du Graal
1191. For the last two years, the men of the third crusade wage a bloody
and heated fight to free Jerusalem from Saladin. While Philip Augustus
has just returned to France, Richard the Lionheart, left alone at
the head of the armies, decides to massacre the prisoners
he was supposed to exchange with Saladin. A mad
thing to do, particularly since it destroys his
chances of getting back his loved
one, taken prisoner by the sultan.
NOVEL
A L R E A DY
75,000
COPIES!
418 p.
Published
March 18, 2013
Photo © Bruno Lévy / Photo12.com
Far from England, so coveted by his
brother John Lackland, Richard sees
only one solution: make sure the armies
get along so they are victorious in the
Holy Land on the one hand and try to
understand his unreasonable decision on
the other.
©Nik Keevil / Arcangel Images
A gripping epic in which love,
sensuality and magic mix with
the most mythical of quests.
But how could he have imagined that the
Old Man of the Mountain holds the powers of the Black Grail making him,
more than Saladin, a threat to all of Christendom?
As battles rage, the mythical swords Marmiadoise, Durandal and
Caliburnus are reunited to become even more powerful than kings.
Only Eloin, with the help of her mother Loanna de Grimwald and the
knights of the Grail, can shed light into the shadows and bring prestige
back to the king’s heart. n
“Mireille Calmel pulls her readers forward at a frenzied
pace on the roads to Palestine, on the crusades led by
King Richard of England.” Sud-Ouest
“Mireille Calmel, depicts flesh and blood heroines of the
Middle Ages who are passionate and spell-binding.
Legend, fiction and history mix for a dazzling read.”
Nous Deux
“A delightful and flamboyant epic.” Notre Temps
Born in 1964, Mireille Calmel has been
writing since she the age of eight.
Like many authors, her writing career
started discreetly, with songs, short
stories, plays. Then, she took several years
to write her first novel, Eleanor's Bed (XO,
2002), the success of which was like a
fairytale come true for Mireille. She has
published a total of 7 novels with XO, all of
which have been best-sellers.
Mireille lives in the Aquitaine region with
her husband and two children.
13
Charlotte Valandrey
To the 8th Heaven
Vers le 8e Ciel
A romantic, sensitive,
tender and often funny
adventure that reveals the
unpredictable magic of life.
On her 40th birthday, Charlotte, an actress, a die-hard lover and fighter,
wonders “What would I do if my days were numbered?”
NOVEL
374 p.
To be published April 17,
2014
Charlotte Valandrey, born in 1968, is
an actress and writer. Her first film, in
1985, was Rouge baiser (Red Kiss) by
Vera Belmont. Nominated for a César
for Best Young Female Performer, she
was also awarded a Silver Bear from
the Berlin Film festival. She did several
more movies in the 1980s before
continuing her career on TV. In 2005,
she revealed in her first book Love is in
my Blood that she is HIV+. In 2003, she
underwent a heart transplant and
wrote a book, Heart Unknown, about
falling in love with the widowed
husband of her heart donor as well as
her experience of cellular memory. In
2012, she directed the 9th season of a
popular reality TV show, Star Academy.
14
The answer is clear. Along with Lili, her irresistible best friend,
Charlotte decides to take on a mission to find True Love. Her crazy,
comical and seductive quest to reach 7th heaven begins. But whether
on dating websites or singles cruises, Charlotte’s path is lined with
strange and unexplainable signs: she keeps feeling the protective
presence of her deceased mother.
These disturbing events echo the “life after life” she caught a glimpse
of when her replaced heart stopped beating. With the help of a friend,
Charlotte will come to understand that she had a Near Death
Experience (NDE) and that it is not just
luck that allowed her to survive.
These discoveries give a new
meaning to her life and lead her
beyond 8th heaven… n
FIRST PRINT
RUN: 40,000
COPIES!
On her previous works:
“Passion and hope inspire this champion of
resilience.” L’Express
“A story that reads like a…novel. Except it’s
not fiction. This is a true story.” Elle
“A happy end as good as in the movies.”
Le Parisien
Cyril Massarotto
God’s White Lie
Le Petit Mensonge de Dieu
God and his best buddy are back!
“God is a buddy of mine. Or at least he was, until I found out he lied to
me. It was just a second ago, right at the moment I died. I thought I was
just going to disappear into oblivion like he always told me I would.
But he lied!
There’s something more, after…
Not really heaven, but nor hell either. He has some explaining to do!”
After God is a Buddy of Mine (2008), Cyril Massarotto brings his
protagonist back to life (well, more or less) as he faces one of the biggest
mysteries of all time. Cyril Massarotto’s dynamic and poetic imagination
fills the pages with humor, endearment and emotion.
NOVEL
304 p.
Published
January 16, 2014
“[He] strikes our sensitive
chords with a good dose
of humanism.”
L’Indépendant
“Humor, tenderness and
emotion…” Ici Paris
130,000 COPIES SOLD!
SOLD IN 15 LANGUAGES!
”
Photo ©Frédérique Guerrier
“
I don’t know whether or not God
exists but I imagined him as I
hope he is: funny, humane and
neither a demiurge nor a puppeteer.
Cyril Massarotto
Born in 1975, Cyril Massarotto
lives near Perpignan. For a long
time, he was the lyricist for his
band, Saint-Louis, before starting
to feel limited by that creative
outlet and trying his hand at
writing. First a school teacher,
then the director of a nursery
school, he devotes himself entirely
to music and writing since the
successful publication of his first
novel God is a Buddy of Mine.
15
Christian Jacq
Nefertiti, the Shadow
of the Sun
Néfertiti, L’Ombre du soleil
Nefertiti is the most famous
of the Egyptian queens and
the fabulous portrait giving
her eternal beauty is known
the world over.
NOVEL
374 p.
Published
October 17, 2013
Partial English
translation available
But what do we really know about this woman, born into lower nobility, who
became the Great Royal Wife of Akhenaten, the mystical pharaoh?
Christian Jacq’s novel recounts the extraordinary story of this couple, united
by red-hot love, breaking with customs of the time - the brilliant and
prosperous 8th dynasty (around 1350 b.c.e.).
Endowed with stubborn willpower, Nefertiti, mother of six
daughters, was the soul of the revolution that so
deeply shook the country. Many changes took
place: Aten, the sun disc, was promoted as the
sole god to be worshipped; a new capital was
built on virgin soil; new dignitaries with no
noble background were appointed…
Everything seemed successful but the
opposition grew unrelentingly stronger,
international relations suffered and unexpected
danger jeopardized Nefertiti and Akhentaten’s
grand vision.
In this novel, based on the most recent discoveries in
Egyptology, Christian Jacq, throws us unto the heart of a tumultuous and
unique moment in Egyptian history and invites us to discover the destiny of
a woman who remained an exceptional queen right up to her last breath. n
75,000
COPIES!
Photo © Françoise Jacq
10 WEEKS
ON THE
BES TELLER
LIS T!
27 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE!
SOLD IN 29 LANGUAGES!
Christian Jacq became
a world-wide success with
his Champollion and Ramses
series. His novels sparked
an unprecedented massmarket passion for ancient
Egypt that remains active to
this day.
16
His world-famous series at XO
• The Stone of Light
• Queen Liberty
• The Mysteries of Osiris
RIGHTS TO CHRISTIAN JACQ’S RAMSES SERIES HAVE BEEN SOLD TO
PRODUCER ANONYMOUS CONTENT FOR A TV SERIES ADAPTATION.
Ghislaine de Védrines and Jean Marchand
Diabolical
Diabolique
A terrifying tale that reads like
a novel. Manipulated and
harassed for 10 years by
a twisted con man.
In this deeply moving and disturbing two-voice narrative, Ghislaine
de Védrines and Jean Marchand tell the story of their hellish descent
and the miraculous reunion that allowed them to triumph over the
devil.
“For more than a decade now, the Védrines have
been at the centre of an incredible story described
as a mix of Harry Potter, Dan Brown, Star Wars and
Lord of the Rings.” The Guardian
“For ten years, an impostor has exploited a French
aristocratic family, who he kept in psychological
dependence and terrorized.” Die Welt
“Aristocrats and Demons. Persuaded they held the
key to great treasure and were targets of a Masonic
plot, members of the aristocratic de Védrines family
turned over their lives, fortune and ancestral
château to a shadowy ‘grand master’.” Vanity Fair
N A R R AT I V E
ACCOUNT
418 p.
Published
March 6, 2014
Partial English
translation
available
Photo © Fabien Cottereau
In September 1997, Ghislaine de Védrines meets Thierry Tilly for the first
time. She does not have the slightest idea that she has just met the devil
himself.
Tilly is charming, attentive and resourceful. One by one, Ghislaine and
her family members fall under his spell. He quickly warns them that their
lives are in danger and that people are working in the shadows toward
their demise. He alone can protect them.
For almost ten years, he holds eleven members of the Védrines family in
his grips. He isolates them, forces them to quit their jobs and shuts them
into a prison of paranoia from which no one manages to free them – no
one other than Jean Marchand, Ghislaine’s husband. Kicked out of his
own house, this journalist fights relentlessly for nine years until he finally
manages to break apart the manipulator’s lies. Thierry Tilly is arrested in
October 2009 and sentenced to ten years in prison. Despite the
incredible hardship they endured, Jean and Ghislaine are able to begin
to rebuild their lives together. n
Ghislaine de Védrines is from Southwestern
France. She held many positions before
taking over the Parisian secretarial school
La Femme secrétaire. She currently works in
a student residence and with her husband
Jean on the creation of a new music festival
in the Calvados region.
Jean Marchand is a journalist and a
classical music aficionado. He created four
music festivals in Southwestern France
and in Normandy.
17
Max Gallo of the Académie française
The Fall of the Roman
Empire
La Chute de l’Empire romain
The fascinating narrative of
the fall of an Empire.
H I S TO R Y
258 p.
Published
February 27, 2014
“In August 440, Galla Placidia, daughter, sister and mother of Roman
emperors, was fearless. Surrounded by her personal guards, she ran
along the paved road through Ravenna.
Savages had been
overwhelming the town for decades, in successive waves from out past
the Rhine and the Danube. The Roman legions tried to contain them and
push them back and had built a wall to protect Roman civilization.
Photo © Richard Schroeder
But today, the Huns, headed up by the hot-headed Attila, posed more of
a threat than ever to the immortal heart of the biggest empire in the
world, from the English fog to the Rivers of
Mesopotamia, from the Rhine to the
Nile. Just shy of 50, Galla Placidia
was not afraid to die. She was
afraid the Western Roman
Empire would die.” n
Max Gallo has always been
at the forefront of his career as
a novelist, essay writer and
historian. With a degree in History,
a PhD in Literature, and having
taught for a long time, he is
the author of many novels and
biographies. He became a member
of the Académie Française in 2007.
Among his publications with XO
are: the trilogy Bleu Blanc Rouge,
as well as the biographies of Victor
Hugo, Julius Caesar and Louis XIV
which have been hugely successful.
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With his concise and scintillating pen, Max Gallo guides us, along with
Galla Placidia, the last Roman Empress, and Attila the Hun, through the
very last glory days of the empire that had dominated the world for
centuries.
680,000
COPIES SOLD
OF GALLO’S
SERIES ON
WWII.
HIS WORKS HAVE BEEN TRANSLATED IN 15 COUNTRIES.
ALBANIA • BRAZIL • CZECH REPUBLIC • DENMARK •
JAPAN • HUNGARY • KOREA • ITALY • POLAND •
PORTUGAL • ROMANIA • RUSSIA • SLOVENIA •
SPAIN • TURKEY
Christine Pedotti
Jesus, the Unknown Man
Jésus, cet homme inconnu
Scholarly research combined
with the tender insight of a
woman of faith.
Just who is this man?
For centuries, we have written about Jesus, his life, his encounters,
his miracles… Yet, the more we know about him, the less it seems
possible to tell his life story.
After delving into the most recent and most well-regarded studies,
Christine Pedotti reconstructs Jesus of Galilee, alternating between
narrative and exegesis, and making him feel very close. We experience
his teachings as if we were one of his disciples.
On 7 April, year 30 in Jerusalem, Passover was well underway and
the town was teeming with pilgrims. Roman
governor Pontius Pilate condemned a man
in his thirties to death by crucifixion. He
was accused of disturbing public order,
and more particularly, the religious
order.
352 p.
Published
October 31, 2013
Partial English translation
available
A L R E A DY
2 7, 0 0 0
COPIES!
“Her work is unique in that she both paints Jesus’
life ‘as if we were there’ while analyzing the narrative
with available sources, distinguishing between what
is reliable and what isn’t.” Valeurs Actuelles
“This narrative dusts off the face of a man often
made rigid like a statue and brings back to life the
passion which, the author herself admits, leaves no
one unscathed.” Témoignage Chrétien
“With a lively pen, she recounts Jesus’ life […] The
grace and simplicity with which she writes attests to
the fact that she cannot keep her passion for this
man secret and wants to share it.” La Croix
Photo © DR
If newspapers had existed at the time,
this case would have taken up a tiny
paragraph in a local gazette. Today,
almost two billion people believe there
has never been anyone else like him and
that he is no less than God Himself. n
BIOGRAPHY
Christine Pedotti is a Catholic scholar
known for encouraging open-mindedness
within the Church.
Born in 1960 in northern France,
she studied history and political science
before writing numerous popular works
on Catholic faith and running the religion
department for publisher Fleurus.
Christine Pedotti co-founded “Le Comité
de la jupe” (The Skirt Committee) whose
goal is to fight against the discrimination
of women within the Catholic Church.
She is currently editor-in-chief of the
journal Témoignage chrétien.
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The Black Book of the Condition
of Christians in the World
Le Livre Noir de la condition des Chrétiens
dans le monde
Christianity is currently the mostpersecuted religion in the world:
150 to 200 million Christians currently
deal with discrimination or persecution
because of their faith;
75% of violent acts committed against
religious minorities are aimed at Christians.
Bernard Fixot, the mastermind behind the highly controversial Black Book
of Communism (Editions Robert Laffont, 1997), which sold more than one
million copies throughout the world, now aims to shed light on another
taboo subject: the persecution of Christian minorities.
CO L L E CT I V E
REFERENCE
WO R K
Approx. 700 p.
To be published Fall 2014
THE PROJECT DIRECTORS ARE:
The Black Book of the Condition of Christians is geared toward a wide,
international audience. Thorough, comprehensive and accessible both in
content and in layout, it is directed by three major figures in the Christian world
and edited by a specialized journalist. It is
an inventory of violent acts committed against Christians
throughout the world
a series of strong and yet-unpublished eyewitness
accounts
RIGHTS
all the basic keys to understanding the situation
SOLD:
MONDADORI
through the expertise of known specialists throughout
( I TA LY )
the world: historians, journalists, sociologists, NGOs,
church leadership…
a call to action to defend human rights, first and foremost,
the freedom of consciousness and dialogue between religions.
Prof. Andrea Riccardi: founder of the
Timothy Radcliffe, OP: former Master
Msgr Jean-Michel di Falco is Bishop
Community of Saint’Egidio, professor of
the history of Christianity and religion at
the University of Rome III. From 20112013, he served as Minister for
International Cooperation in Mario
Monti’s cabinet and has been active for
many years in diplomacy and
interreligious dialogue.
of the Order of Preachers from 19922001. Member of the Dominican order in
Oxford, Friar Timothy gives lectures
throughout the world and has published
many books on Christian faith and
spirituality.
of the Diocese of Gap in Southern
France. He is the former spokesperson
and media/communications expert for
the Bishops’ Conference of France and
also provided his expertise to the
Pontifical Council for Social
Communications in Rome.
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OVERSEEING THE PROJECT ALONG WITH XO’S EDITORIAL STAFF IS SAMUEL LIEVEN,
A JOURNALIST SPECIALIZING IN RELIGIONS.
Adult Titles
Agent Kasper & Luigi
Carletti
Young Adult
Titles
Katherine Howe
• Supernotes. To be published by
XO in May 2014
• The Physick Book of
Deliverance Dane /
L’Ensorcelée de Salem. Published
by XO in April 2010
Antonia Hodgson
Donald Mc Caig
• The Devil and the Marshalsea.
To be published by XO in Sep.
2014
• Rhett Butler’s People / Le Clan
Rhett Butler. Published by Oh ! in
Oct. 2007
Rachel Joyce
Kathleen McGowan
• The Unlikely Pilgrimage of
Harold Fry. Published by XO in
Sep. 2012
• Perfect. Deux secondes de trop.
Published by XO in Feb. 2014
• The Expected One / Le Livre de
l’Élue. Published by XO in May
2007
• The Book of Love / Le Livre de
l’amour. Published by XO in June
2009
• The Poet Prince / Le Livre du
poète. Published by XO in June
2011
Mitch Albom
• Have a Little Faith / Le Vieil
Homme qui m’a appris la vie.
Published by Oh ! in Oct. 2009
• For One More Day / Pour un
jour de plus. Published by Oh ! in
Oct. 2006
• The Five People You Meet in
Heaven / Les Cinq Personnes
que j’ai rencontrées là-haut.
Published by Oh ! in May 2004
Elisabeth Kostova
• The Historian / L’Historienne et
Drakula. Published by XO in
March 2006
Brad Meltzer
• The Book of Fate / Mort avec
retour. Published by XO in
January 2009
Shin Kyung-Sook
• Please, Take Care of Mom /
Prends soin de maman. Published
by Oh ! in March 2010
Rula Jebreal
• Miral
Published by Oh ! in May 2010
Allen & Sandra Parton
• Endal. Published by Oh ! in Dec.
2010
Greg Kincaid
• A Dog Named Christmas / Un
chien pour Noël. Published by
Oh ! in Nov.2009
Kurt Cobain
• Journal / Le Journal de Kurt
Cobain. Published by Oh ! in Nov.
2002
Mimi Alford
• Once upon a Story / Une
singulière histoire d’amour.
Published by Oh ! in Feb. 2012
Shane Hegarty
• Darkmouth
(4 volumes) TBA
John Grisham
Theodore Boone
• Kid Lawyer / Enfant et justicier.
Published by Oh! in Oct. 2010
• The Abduction / L’Enlèvement.
Published by Oh ! in Oct. 2011
• The Accused / L’Accusé.
Published by XO Jeunesse in
Nov. 2012
• The Activist / La Menace.
Published by XO Jeunesse in
Oct. 2013
Kathy Reichs
• Virals / Viral. Published by Oh !
in Nov. 2010
• Seizure / Crise. Published by
Oh ! in Sept. 2011
• Code. Published by XO in April
2013
Kerry Reichs
• Leaving Unkown / L’Épopée
du perroquet. Published by Oh !
in March 2012
Gayle Forman
• Sisters in Sanity / Les Cœurs
fêlés. Published by Oh ! in March
2010
• If I Stay / Si je reste… Published
by Oh ! in April 2009
• Where She Went / Là où j’irai.
Published by Oh! in Nov. 2010
Markus Zusak
• The Book Thief / La Voleuse de
livres. Published by Oh ! in March
• Beautiful Malice / La Beauté du
2007
Mal. Published by Oh ! in June
Audrey Niffenegger
2010
• Her Fearful Symmetry / Les
• Sweet Damage / La Vérité sur
Jumelles de Highgate . Published
Anna. To be published by XO in
by Oh ! in November 2009
June 2014
Rebecca James
Contact:
Andrea Field. Foreign Rights Manager
tel.: +33 1 56 80 26 76
afield@xoeditions.com
Elsa Misson. Foreign Rights
tel.: +33 1 56 80 26 89
emisson@xoeditions.com
www.xoeditions.com
Tour Maine-Montparnasse
33 av. du Maine, BP 142
757555 Paris Cedex 15, France