Michel Houllebecq’s Latest Scandal

In this episode Zoe interview's RJ Smith, an Australian author who lives in Paris. Quillette recently published RJ's critical review of Houellebecq's new book, which you can read here: https://quillette.com/2023/06/26/the-...

Michel #Houellebecq, the controversial French author, has consistently produced novels that explore societal challenges, often tracing back to the cultural revolution of the 1960s. His new book, "Quelques Mois dans ma Vie" (A Few Months in My Life), published in May 2023, reveals two recent scandals embroiled his life.

Aside from discussing Houellebecq's life and work, we delve into France's tumultuous colonial history and its modern-day ramifications in the form of tensions between French citizens of Maghrebi descent and the broader French population. The term "Maghrebi" refers to people from the Maghreb region of North Africa, including Algeria, Tunisia, and Morocco. This tension is a central theme in Houellebecq's work.

Just last month riots took place after Maghrebi teen #Nahel Merzouk was killed by French police. We discuss that and the #giletsjaunes (yellow jacket) protests which kicked off in 2018 and are still going to this day.

00:00 Intro
00:45 How RJ ended up in Paris
03:28 Why I wanted to interview RJ
04:00 How RJ got into Houellebecq
04:44 Atomized and Submission by Michel Houellebecq.
05:29 Who is Michel Houellebecq?
08:05 The recent riots in France after the death of Nahel Merzouk
11:07 French cultural tension
17:57 Houllebecq's recent sex scandal
24:00 Houellebecq's moralism
36:00 RJ's writing on Celine, Comte
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Quillette is an Australian-based online magazine that focuses on long-form analysis and cultural commentary. It is politically non-partisan, but relies on reason, science, and humanism as its guiding values.

Quillette was founded in 2015 by Australian writer Claire Lehmann. It is a platform for free thought and a space for open discussion and debate on a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, science, and technology.

Quillette has gained attention for publishing articles and essays that challenge modern heterodoxy on a variety of topics, including gender and sexuality, race and identity politics, and free speech and censorship.

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