Publishing, the Rules of the Trade

Suicide, mode d'emploi. History, technique, topicality

Claude Guillon and Yves le Bonniec, Éditions Alain Moreau, original edition, 1982, Coll. Bfm - Limoges

From a book to a law: In a chapter entitled "Éléments pour un guide du suicide" the book "Suicide, mode d'emploi" published in 1982 gave concrete advice - products, doses- to those wishing to end their lives. The press reactions were varied. Booksellers were shocked. The Minister of Justice judged the book to be dangerous. Alain Moreau strove to defend his best-seller against the accusations. Families of those who had read the book and then committed suicide brought legal proceedings but the principle of influence was rejected. Yves Le Bonniec, who exchanged letters with a reader who later killed himself, was condemned. But the book itself was not.  After the trial and a public opinion campaign orchestrated by an association, the law of December 31, 1987, condemning the incitement to suicide, was passed. Translated into many languages, Suicide, mode d’emploi has been banned in France since the judgement of 1995.

Law n°87-1133 of December 31, 1987 repressing the incitement to suicide

Journal officiel de la République française, January 1, 1988, Légifrance, NOR: JUSX8700191L