Jérôme Lindon, Jérôme Lindon: On the Relationship Between Jean Echenoz and His Publisher

Jean Echenoz’s book Jérôme Lindon is a memoir of sixty pages that recounts his twenty-year relationship with Jérôme Lindon, a legendary figure in French publishing. The narrative spans from 1979, when Echenoz was first invited to Lindon’s office to sign a contract for his debut novel—rejected by other publishers—to 2001, when Lindon passed away from cancer. The memoir offers a personal and often humorous perspective on the dynamics between an author and publisher, highlighting their shared passion for literature while also exploring moments of tension. Lindon was the founder and leader of Éditions de Minuit, a prestigious French publishing house known for its avant-garde and literary works.

In 1984, the author of the article visited Jérôme Lindon at Éditions de Minuit in Paris, climbing the same narrow staircase that Echenoz described in his memoir. The author, then a young editor at Random House, felt intimidated by Lindon’s imposing presence, seated behind his desk while the author sat on a distant, uncomfortable chair. Despite the author’s lack of industry standing, Lindon treated him with courtesy and offered advice. Lindon also recommended acquiring the English-language rights to Marguerite Duras’s L’Amant, published that year and priced at 49 francs (approximately $5 at the time). The author later attempted to secure these rights for Random House but was overruled by senior management.

The author tried to acquire the English rights to L’Amant by Marguerite Duras, a novel that would later become a bestseller, reaching number 9 on the New York Times bestseller list. However, Random House’s leadership dismissed the book as a niche project, unsuitable for their mainstream audience. The rights were instead granted to Pantheon, a sister imprint specializing in literary and challenging works. This decision left the author with a notable regret, as the novel’s success highlighted a missed opportunity. The price of the French edition was 49 francs, roughly equivalent to $5 at the time.

Around the same time, the author was given a copy of Cherokee, a novel by Jean Echenoz, by Jonathan Galassi, an editor at Random House responsible for poetry and translations. The author read the novel in one sitting and was enthusiastic about it. Alongside Galassi, the author pitched the book to Jason Epstein, then Random House’s editor-in-chief. Epstein reportedly dismissed the novel, commenting on authors with unpronounceable names—a detail Echenoz later referenced in his memoir as a humorous parallel to his own early interactions with Lindon. Despite this, the rights to Cherokee were eventually acquired by David R. Godine, a smaller publisher.

The author, who had proposed translating Cherokee, was hired by David R. Godine to translate the novel, which was published in 1987. This marked the beginning of a long professional and personal relationship with Godine, his publishing house, and Jean Echenoz. Over time, the author translated ten of Echenoz’s books, including Jérôme Lindon. Additionally, the author collaborated on a co-written novel titled Semaines de Suzanne (S: A Novel), published in 1991. This project involved a team of writers, including Echenoz, who developed the novel during a three-week residency at the Atlantic Center for the Arts in Florida in 1990.

Semaines de Suzanne was published by Éditions de Minuit in April 1991 with minimal fanfare. Lindon reportedly told Echenoz that he was publishing the novel only to prevent other publishers from acquiring it, calling the work worthless and very bad. The novel received little attention and sold barely any copies. Despite its poor reception, the author considered it a milestone, as it was their first published book bearing the Éditions de Minuit imprint. Echenoz’s memoir reflects on the indifference to sales figures, emphasizing the significance of having Lindon as a publisher over commercial success.