Alain Elkann presented a new translation to his ten-year-old book, “A Single Day”. last night at the Italian Institute for Culture. Elkann, born on 23 March 1950, is an esteemed Italian novelist, journalist, and cultural influencer, known for his exploration of Jewish history and identity in Italy and interfaith relations. As president of numerous cultural and academic institutions, including the Italy–USA Foundation and Fondazione CittàItalia, and a key figure in Italian and international media, Elkann’s work spans novels, essays, and collaborations. Awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d’Honneur and the America Award, Elkann’s influence extends beyond literature to cultural and foreign relations advisory roles for the Italian government
The novel “A Single Day” revolves around Edmond Bovet-Maurice, a protagonist who, throughout the course of a day, reflects on his family’s complex history and its consequences on his present and future. The plot delves into themes of guilt, responsibility, and the lingering impact of past actions on subsequent generations. Its achievement is in squishing all these themes into a narrative of only one day.
Early in the day, after breakfast and a walk through a garden, Edmond Bovet-Maurice contemplates his family’s involvement with the German occupiers during the war in Paris. He ponders why his mother harmonized with the Germans, translating books from German and associating with right-wing journalists and intellectuals who collaborated with the occupiers. Additionally, he questions his grandmother’s actions, particularly her frequent visits to the Ritz, where Goering and his court, along with other German aviation officers, often stayed, along with personalities like the actress Arlett and the designer Chanel, who were part of his grandmother’s circle.
These reflections haunt Edmond Bovet-Maurice as he faces the repercussions of his mother’s and grandmother’s dubious actions during the war. As he aspires to join the Académie Française, he is warned that his admission will not be straightforward due to his family’s disreputable past. Seeking answers, he questions his mother’s doctor, a family friend, and later, an academic, about the mysterious and potentially dishonorable behavior of his mother and grandmother during the war.
The novel also unravels the mystery of how Edmond Bovet-Maurice’s career advanced so quickly and investigates his grandmother Jeanne’s post-war activities, including her knowledge of the whereabouts of certain paintings hidden by Goering, which she traded with the French state, and what she requested in return. These mysteries form the core of the narrative, presenting the tale of one day in Edmond Bovet-Maurice’s life.
