EDITIONS ATTIC: An alternative route from the book THE TWELVE E n the West, the fronts of bookstores and other shops, are crumbling under the weight of new publications . Image of the ordinary, fixed on the contemporary and does not, however, said the historic route. To the point that today is almost impossible to believe that the book has already been the exclusive domain of an intellectual elite, the prerogative of an intelligentsia which however was not only able to read and write! This little world for him had only the interest and ability to read. The "common" was quick to get on the collision of knowledge contained in these pages fly past. In truth this is the book that came to people through mass production. That is to say publishing. And money. We therefore publishing to sell. But not just anyone. This area has remained elitist for reasons that have nothing to do with profitability. That is, within the publishing community exists to date that causality, if not collusion, between the known and proven access to the publication! And where
edition suffers from being unable to develop due to lack of money, the authors are confined, even condemned to anonymity. "Here," is Africa ...
A notable exception is with the editions "Presence Africaine" Alioune Diop (1), some "old timers" are reached on the front of the Parisian literary scene, so, paradoxically, make yourself known at home. Or so some people-such as Aime Cesaire of Martinique and Senegal's Cheikh Anta Diop, ostracized by the middle of the Paris edition, the have to be known only through editions Présece Africa.
writer and poet himself, Moses Mougnan made his debut in the proximity of some of these "superstars" burkibabè historian Joseph Ki-Zerbo, the "wise" Mali's Amadou Ba Hampaté philosopher before the Lord without forgetting the mentor, Cheikh Anta Diop. All of them have blown, each in turn,
the African consciousness that it now serves as a paradigm open to otherness!
Today as yesterday the implacable fact remains unchanged. African writers (whatever their chosen field) remain absent from the shelves of bookstores and libraries. The fact has a dramatic consequence on the "chain of knowledge" in Africa. Early school sometimes even at the university educated young people do not know than from a sweetened by photocopies of manuals which serve them. They learn what to say and write "other." And do not lose to know the views of Africans on critical issues of the lessons they are watered yet. Without opportunities, authors, academics, researchers in Africa do not feel encouraged to produce what is destined to remain unfulfilled. It is worse vicious circle. The impasse is such that the situation verges on the inevitable. The key, sesame should we say is the issue! Otherwise Africa is doomed to suffer alienation without the means to react.
Democratizing publishing "
The first is to stop patronizing the publishing community manifesto against the authors. They were unknown or only Africans . "Sometimes just misunderstood! The publisher Moses Mougnan Lekiangar also confesses that conclusively. Profession of faith founded the "Edit Attic" (2), this voluntarism quickly becomes challenging when the intrepid editor claims to "
fusion between authors, readers and publishing . A trilogy that the confluence of interests substantive uniqueness. But then, that Moses
Mougnan is an Afro-Canadian citizen of Chad is certainly no stranger to what appears resolutely uphill battle. Yesterday as his father, Andre Mougnan federalist activist, who died in jail of dication Francois Tombalbaye. Starting from nothing, but weighted with all this baggage, and having published thirteen books, man is never returned to his charge. And never even sought any subsidy from the Government. In a country-Canada-where all the rich private organizations serving the public (radio, television, newspapers, posh private schools ...) are funded from the state budget, the approach of the founder of Éditions Grenier similar to the abnegation. "
Now perhaps. Before we had to prove ourselves . The evidence is beyond what is required by the Arts Council [having already published three books] to subsidize new editors. There is also that the government grant is not intended to publish the authors elsewhere. To preserve some editorial freedom Grenier has always preferred the contributions of patrons who share its vision of publishing. And in his trial to diversity the poet-editor (3) is not afraid proud of the last author that comes to press: an eminent French teacher of Moroccan origin, Leon Ouaknine (4). The latter was designed and piloted between 2000 and 2005, with the oncologist Claude Jasmin, the University level "Quality Health" at the Faculty of Medicine at Kremlin-Bicetre, Univesrsité Paris-Sud, France. Today
mature (Grenier has published thirteen authors indiscriminately here and elsewhere who otherwise would never have been) Moses Mougnan now resolutely tackle the project close to his heart since the beginning: receive [that is to say, go for] African authors (professors, writers ...) to edit their manuscripts. Make them known at home first; then put their books in competition with the authors elsewhere. Students will then receive an invaluable source of information because African.
As if that were not enough already man embraces his "mission" head on. Kiss does too? "I do not want
qu'étreindre Africa, forgotten," says the Don Quixote of publishing. So "
Solidalivre " (a neologism invented by Moses Mougnan itself, and evoking solidarity with the book) is already taking shape: Rider initiative whose primary objective is to solicit books for libraries and universities in Africa, and then edit the textbooks to Africa with the lowest prices! In addition to asking authors published at Grenier to donate some of their books to Africa.
A sort of back elevator to the person who publishes, not at the author, but publisher account! If Moses
Mougnan Lekiangar manages to meet all its goals, Publishing Grenier then become the first publisher
really serving schools and universities disadvantaged!
can bet it will succeed and this will be forgotten and passionate, especially in Haiti!
It will do if the man continues to believe that some cases more than others, convene a sacrifice that borders on self-sacrifice!
EMERY G. UHINDU-GINGALA (1) Presence Africaine (
http://www.presenceafricaine.com/ ) celebrates the centenary of Alioune Diop of Senegal in various cities.
January 10, 2010 to November 14, 2010
(2) To enter the site click Attic Publishing:
http://www.leseditionsgrenier.ca/ (3) Moses Mougnan N'djekornondé Lekiangar is the author of two collections of poetry "committed" to Orpheus Editions, Montreal.
(4) Leon Ouaknine just published an essay of 285 pages, "He never had
subscriber number you called " Editions Grenier, September 29, 2009
The biography of the author is available on the website Publishing Grenier.
