The author of the Arab of the future, Riad Sattouf, in dedication in Toulouse this Tuesday
The Departmental Council of Haute-Garonne welcomes this Tuesday, December 13 from 6:00 p.m. the writer and artist Riad Sattouf at the Hôtel du Département, on the occasion of the release of the sixth volume of the series “The Arab of the future”. During this meeting, organized with the Ombres blanches bookstore, Riad Sattouf talks about his art and his aesthetic and cultural commitments, before answering questions from the public. A signing session will be organized from 7:30 p.m. The opportunity to ask a few questions to Emmanuelle Sicard, the director of the largest bookstore in Toulouse.
You invite Riad Sattouf to Toulouse, is it complicated in terms of organization?
On a Riad received several times, it was very pleasant each time. But we are expecting a lot of people at the Department on Tuesday evening, the organization is quite heavy. It’s a great commercial operation for us, but it’s also what we do very often in our bookstore by offering our customers the opportunity to meet their favorite writers.
What does the Christmas period represent for Ombres Blanches?
In terms of turnover, it is double a normal month. The sales made during the last days before Christmas make the difference on the balance sheet for the year. We are strengthening our workforce (note: nearly 50 employees) at checkouts, when receiving parcels, in the e-commerce department, etc. We work all year for this period.
What are the major successes of this end of the year?
We can cite the youth book of the Toulouse doctor Baptiste Beaulieu who is starting to be very well known, his book is called “Les gens est beaux”. We can also mention “Le Mage du Kremlin” at Gallimard which continues to be among the best sellers, as well as Thomas Pesquet’s book “La Terre entre nos mains”.
Do you fear that one day the book will no longer be an essential Christmas present?
The book continues to be a very present object. We see it with children, always very curious and very happy in contact with books. I believe that we come from a culture which has completely integrated this object and which has trouble making sense. And at Christmas, it’s a time when we look at this object because there is a diversity of themes and trends that can please everyone, at a reasonable price.