French Literature Reviews - 2026
B. Lonjon, Piaf-Cocteau, la môme et le poète
Writers: Biography, Letters and Memoirs
Bernard Lonjon
Piaf-Cocteau, la môme et le poète
Éditions l'Archipel, coll. "Arts, littérature et spectacle", 2013
280 p.
EAN: 9782809810684
17,95 EUR
Publisher's description:
October 11, 1963. While commissioned to write an article in tribute to Piaf, who had just passed away, Jean Cocteau suffers a third heart attack. A fatal one. The surrealist poet, filmmaker, painter, and playwright survived the queen of post-war realistic chanson by a mere 24 hours. This marked the end of a long friendship; for twenty-three years, they had written to one another. She called him "today's Ronsard," while he found that she had "the brow of a Bonaparte."
Drawing on the unpublished correspondence between these two monumental figures, the author sheds light on the nature of this enduring friendship, which began in the midst of the Occupation. Cocteau never missed the premiere of a Piaf show, while she eagerly read all of Cocteau's books, watched his films, and admired his drawings and sculptures... She fought daily for her survival, whereas Cocteau sprinkled his life with mortal wisdom, hoping to reach "the other side of Orpheus's mirror" as soon as possible.
Bernard Lonjon manages an antiquarian bookstore in Languedoc (blonjon.com). He has published articles in several literary magazines, short stories, and about a dozen books on French chanson (Georges Brassens, Maurice Chevalier, Édith Piaf) and literature (Guillaume Apollinaire, Jean Cocteau...).
Biographies and studies examining the intersections of French chanson, poetry, and mid-century artistic circles often trace the personal and professional networks linking major cultural figures of the period. The relationship between a prominent lyricist and playwright associated with the avant-garde and a leading voice of post-war realistic chanson highlights the diverse ways artistic expression manifested during the Occupation and subsequent decades. Such works contribute to the broader documentation of French artistic life, capturing the cultural exchanges that transpired across different mediums such as theatre, film, and musical performance.
Readers interested in the history of French chanson and mid-century artistic collaborations may find this volume relevant. Bernard Lonjon examines the correspondence between Édith Piaf and Jean Cocteau, drawing upon unpublished letters to trace their twenty-three-year friendship. The text outlines their mutual admiration across various artistic disciplines, touching upon Cocteau's multifaceted career as a surrealist poet, filmmaker, painter, and playwright alongside Piaf's prominent career in post-war music and her daily struggles.