Christian Gailly

Christian Gailly (14 January 1943 – 4 October 2013) was a French writer.

Christian Gailly first tried to make a career as a jazz saxophonist, then opened a psychoanalyst practice. He began to be published in the 1980s thanks to Jérôme Lindon.

His novel L'Incident was adapted to cinema by Alain Resnais under the title Les Herbes folles in 2009. Un soir au club, winner of the prix du Livre Inter in 2002, which sold 170,000 copies, was adapted by Jean Achache. Nuage rouge, published in 2000, was awarded the prix France Culture. His latest work is a collection of short stories, La roue, et autres nouvelles, published in January 2012.

Christian Gailly has always recognized the influence of Samuel Beckett on his work, the reading of The Unnamable (novel) having definitively convinced him to tackle writing.

Close to the minimalist mouvement, he was a member of the groupe of the éditions de Minuit to which belonged also among others Jean Echenoz, Jean-Philippe Toussaint and Christian Oster. Rhythmic style and absurd imbroglios are the trademark of his novels. His novels deal mainly with impossible loves, loneliness, sickness and death, but also with other daily tragedies that he tackles in a light tone, sometimes close to gaiety. His writings nevertheless maintain a connection with his love of music, especially jazz, in novels such as Be-Bop and Un soir au club.

All the works of Christian Gailly are published at éditions de Minuit.

• 1987:  
• 1989:  
• 1991:  
• 1992:  
• 1993:  
• 1995:  
• 1996:  
• 1997:  
• 1998:  
• 2000:  , Prix France Culture, 2000
• 2001:  , Prix du Livre Inter, 2002
• 2004:  
• 2007:  
• 2010:  
• 2012:  

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The following book gives voice to four translators of Gailly's works:

•   Collectif, avec Christian Doumet, Patrick Quillier, Jean-Yves Masson, Robert Davreu, Heinz Schwarzinger, Mike Sens, Claire Jatosti.