Publishing, the Rules of the Trade

Eden, Eden, Eden

Pierre Guyotat, Gallimard, 1985, Coll. Bfm - Limoges

Just before its publication by Gallimard in October 1970, Eden, Eden, Eden, was the object of a decree from the Ministry of the Interior, without consultation of the Supervisory Committee, banning sales to minors, display and promotion. This book, in which Pierre Guyotat blends sexuality, writing and Marxist commitments, was prefaced by Michel Leiris, Roland Barthes and Philippe Sollers all of whom insisted on its literary value. The intellectuals took action against this censorship, some calling for the suppression of Article 14, which was supposed to protect the young but above all, defended a certain idea of morality. In 1972, Pierre Guyotat published the dossier of this case in Literature interdite. The ministerial order banning the book was repealed only in December 1981 and the novel republished by Gallimard in 1985.