Philippe Jaenada

Often inspired by news stories, Philippe Jaenada has written a magnificent book inspired by the death of a pretty, intelligent and free young woman. An immersion in a Saint-Germain-des Près café of the 50s, which became a refuge for young people adrift and in search of futures.

Author of a dozen novels, including La Serpe (Prix Femina 2017), Philippe Jaenada is unrivalled in his ability to explore public and private archives to unearth forgotten cases. This is how he reconstructs the brief life of Kaki, a regular at the café Chez Moineau on rue du Four, frequented at the same time by Guy Debord, the young Patrick Modiano and Dutch photographer Ed van der Elsken. Philippe Jaenada reconstructs the lives of these "sparrows", young lost adolescents, based on his reports and a photo-book that is no longer available.

With his "casual, funny, melancholy and happy" style, Philippe Jaenada, a warm-hearted storyteller and adept at tasty disgressions, takes us on a double journey, back in time and to the France of today. You'll come away overwhelmed and dazzled. His storytelling is masterful!