René Ballet (1928 – 2 January 2017) was a French journalist, novelist and essayist. A communist, he was an international correspondent for L’Humanité. He was the author of 14 novels and 35 essays, many of which were about Roger Vailland.
René Ballet | |
|---|---|
 René Ballet in 2015 | |
| Born | 1928 Saint-Étienne, France |
| Died | 2 January 2017 (aged 88–89) |
| Alma mater | University of Grenoble |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, author |
| Political party | French Communist Party |
| Spouse | Simone Ballet |
Early life
editRené Ballet was born in 1928 in Saint-Étienne, France.[1] He grew up in Grenoble,[2] where he earned a bachelor of laws from the University of Grenoble.[1]
Ballet joined the French Resistance during World War II.[2]
Career
editBallet joined the French Communist Party in Vanves near Paris in the 1960s.[2] He started his career as a civil servant in Paris in 1961, first in finance and then in national education.[1]
Ballet became a journalist, and he mostly wrote for the automobile press.[1] He also appeared on television as a contributor.[1] He then became the editor-in-chief of Constellation, a Franco-Swiss magazine.[1] From 1971 to 1978, he worked as a communications manager for Fiat S.p.A.[1] He became an international correspondent for L’Humanité, a communist newspaper, and its Sunday newspaper, L’Humanité Dimanche, in 1978.[1]
Ballet was the author of 14 novels and 35 essays.[2] He published his first novel, Echec et Mat, in 1960.[3] His 1986 novel, L'organidrame, was selected for the Prix Goncourt (awarded to Michel Host for Valet de nuit instead).[3] His 1994 novel, L'hôtel des deux gares, was about a collaborationist in Paris during World War II.[3] His 2002 novel, Retour à Santopal, was based on his career as a correspondent under Augusto Pinochet in Chile.[3] Ballet also published research about the works of Roger Vailland.[2] He was also the co-founder and vice-president of the Association Roger Vailland in 1995.[1] Moreover, he served on the editorial board of the Cahiers Roger Vailland.[1]
Ballet was the co-founder of Le Temps des Cerises, a publishing house, in 1993.[2] He was the founding editor-in-chief of La Revue Commune in 1996.[1] He became an honorary citizen of Vanves in 2004.[2]
Personal life and death
editBallet was married to Simone Ballet, a professor of economics and law at Paris Descartes University.[1] They resided between Paris, Nice and La Chapelle-Fortin.[1] They attended the Fête de l'Humanité annually.[1]
Ballet died on 2 January 2017, at the age of 88.[2]
Selected works
editNovels
edit- Ballet, René (1960). Échec et mat. Paris: Gallimard. OCLC 26963351.
- Ballet, René (1961). Les jours commencent à l'aube. Paris: Gallimard. OCLC 23409309.
- Ballet, René (1962). L'inutile retour. Paris: Gallimard. OCLC 459454116.
- Ballet, René (1972). Dérive. Paris: Calmann Levy. OCLC 12123581.
- Ballet, Rene (1984). Une petite ville sans mémoire. Paris: Temps actuels. ISBN 9782209055647. OCLC 12894274.
- Ballet, René (1986). L'Organidrame. Paris: Messidor. ISBN 9782209058228.
- Ballet, René (1987). Des usines et des hommes. Paris: Messidor. ISBN 9782209059409. OCLC 18615695.
- Ballet, René (1989). Soleil froid. Paris: Messidor. ISBN 9782209061822. OCLC 20922475.
- Ballet, René (1992). Le domaine du bout de l'île. Paris: Temps actuels. ISBN 9782209066612. OCLC 29793548.
- Ballet, Rene (1994). L'hôtel des deux gares. Pantin: Le Temps des Cerises. ISBN 9782841090143. OCLC 33078186.
- Ballet, René (1996). La Manipulation. Pantin: Le Temps des Cerises. ISBN 9782841090709. OCLC 465658926.
- Ballet, René (1999). Lettres texanes. Paris: Messidor. ISBN 9782209063307. OCLC 22274895.
- Ballet, René (2002). Retour à Santopal. Pantin: Le Temps des cerises. ISBN 9782841093618. OCLC 52631333.
- Ballet, René (2010). Soldes d'été au Lüger. Pantin: Le Temps des cerises. ISBN 9782841098545. OCLC 762714626.
Non-fiction
edit- Ballet, René; Vailland, Elisabeth (1973). Roger Vailland. Paris: Éditions Seghers. OCLC 797168.
- Ballet, René (1985). Bourges : une affaire de cœur. Paris: Messidor. ISBN 9782209056972. OCLC 21870792.
- Ballet, René (1988). Montluçon: bâtir la vie. Paris: Messidor. ISBN 9782209060931. OCLC 31088333.
- Ballet, René (1991). Auteurs sur la ville : essai-roman. Rouen: Médianes. ISBN 9782908345100. OCLC 27812899.
- Ballet, René (1997). La boîte noire. Pantin: Le Temps des Cerises. ISBN 9782841090921. OCLC 467517965.
- Ballet, René; Petr, Christian (1999). Le Réalisme socialiste : ce bel inconnu. Pantin: Revue Commune. ISBN 9782841092109. OCLC 47625183.
- Ballet, René (2003). Reporter de l'interdit. Pantin: Le Temps des Cerises. ISBN 9782841093830. OCLC 470363647.
- Ballet, René (2007). Cocktail au curare : à consommer avec précaution, peut nuire à la quiétude et au sens moral. Pantin: Le Temps des Cerises. ISBN 9782841096701. OCLC 183257465.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Chaillan, Pierre (January 3, 2017). "Disparition. René Ballet, une vie dans le droit-fil de Roger Vailland". L'Humanité (in French). Retrieved January 4, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Vanves : citoyen d'honneur de la ville, le journaliste René Ballet est mort". Le Parisien (in French). January 3, 2017. Retrieved January 4, 2017.
- ^ a b c d Nguyen-Schoendorff, Odile (January 3, 2017). "Disparition de René Ballet". L'Humanité (in French). Retrieved January 4, 2017.
External links
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