France – Algeria, India – China: the war of the worlds. Overview of the books of the week
Pierre Vermeren, France-Algeria. The double blindness, Paris, Tallandier, 2026, 21.90 euros
The Maghreb specialist historian, Pierre Vermeren, offers an insightful and deliberately contrarian reading of contemporary Franco-Algerian relations with this work. He aims to break free from what he sees as a “double blindness” between Paris and Algiers. The book sheds light on the postcolonial guilt of France and the Algerian regime’s use of the independence war memory for internal political legitimation. Vermeren’s thorough research and clear writing style make a complex subject accessible.
However, the book’s attempt to challenge dominant narratives in Algeria sometimes leads to an imbalance. The critique of Algeria’s official discourse, while relevant in exposing its political use of memory, needs more nuance in its social and cultural implications. Vermeren’s focus on the migration issue from a political perspective might oversimplify the multidimensional reality.
Overall, the book adds a thought-provoking contribution to the public debate by disrupting easy agreements and encouraging discussion. It challenges readers to question their assumptions.
Tigrane Yégavian
Emmanuel Lincot, China-India. The war of the worlds, Cerf, 2026, 22.90 euros
A respected specialist in the political and cultural history of contemporary China, Emmanuel Lincot presents the face-off between two giants in his latest book – China and India. These two colossal demographic nations, representing a third of the world’s population, are engaged in a power struggle that will significantly shape the future.
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Eugène Berg
Maurice Chappaz, Verdure de la nuit et autres poèmes, Poetry/Gallimard, 8.40 euros.
A geography of the soul
Maurice Chappaz is a poet whose work is inherently political not through slogans but by rooting itself in a specific land and presenting it to the world with intense passion. Chappaz’s poems cover decades, showcasing the evolution of a language that continues to deepen. The Valais region he portrays is not a romantic backdrop but a contested space between tradition and modernization.
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Tigrane Yégavian
