France loves an intellectual scrap. The country has been treated this week to a spectacular verbal brawl between its most respected newspaper and its most internationally acclaimed writer, reports The Independent.
Michel Houellebecq, satirical novelist and controversialist, has been infuriated by a series of six “unauthorised” biographical articles written by Le Monde’s star reporter, Ariane Chemin.
In a statement to the French news agency, he described journalists as “parasites” and “cockroaches” and Ms Chemin as a “specialist in malicious sneakiness”.
In response, Le Monde’s editor, Jérôme Fenoglio, accused Mr Houllebecq of systematically denigrating all journalists who were not “chosen by him” to “sculpt the statue” of his own greatness.
Ms Chemin’s six articles paint a brilliant – and far from negative – portrait of Houllebecq’s pessimistic views and miserabalist lifestyle. One article describes how the famously dishevelled author turned up for a “research” visit to a French monastery and was shown to the rooms kept for vagrants.
In his statement to Agence France-Presse Mr Houllebecq, did not challenge the substance of the articles but claimed that they had placed his life in danger.
The novelist has been under police protection since the appearance of his novel, “Submission”, last January.