Orange Alert "Just smile would make us happy" 
Happiness ghost received Thursday 18
November the Jean Monnet Prize for Young Europeans . This award me was presented at the 2010 European Literature
Cognac .
On this occasion, a delegation of students (including those of the Lycée Emile Combes Pons) read on stage a compliment drafted by them, to report on their reading of each novel, and honor their way to the three authors present (as I recall that Phantom
Happiness was measured by a powerful opponent: Nicolas
Ancion for
Dollar Man 35 billion , Carl Frode Tiller
for
Encirclement ). Here
the compliment Lucia and Cheyenne have read to the public (trembling a little), I listened (with trembling a bit too) and that the librarian of the Lyceum Emile Combes was kind enough to send me (without shaking).
is a wonderful text, written by young people between 16 and 17, who demonstrated sensitivity and philosophical reflection that would not have denied Alain (philosopher) - which would have pleased in turn, Simone Weil, in his student khâgne - but I digress.
Here:
In your novel "Happy Phantom" we discovered a writing at once poetic, subtle and discreet. Indeed, how you transform the mundane things of everyday life in strong emotions, even extraordinary, makes us an ideal time reading: for example, from the first page, we discover the rain under a poetic aspect. The subtlety of writing is also evident in phrases like "in art as in love, we must have the courage of his feelings. No one is bound to love it right "or when you say" ... leave, not to die a little. Leaving is live. "
The way you live characters, including Peter allows us to identify them. Peter tries to talk himself into flashbacks her love life, family and society. By mere innuendo, you come to us to understand major episodes of his life, as the loss of his brother, his twin brother that caused him to be a perpetual malaise hence the title "Happy Phantom" because for Pierre happiness is invisible until he realizes that he is under her eyes.
Another point that we find fascinating is the imperceptible evolution of the character as we move forward with him throughout the book, as in a journey, a voyage of exotic, emotional, yet realistic, without idealization, which gives us the impression of being there, and feel the contrast between urban and rural life.
Your novel is not a simple story, but also an opening to life, an awareness of and reflection on art and culture. Indeed, after having abandoned a thesis on the philosopher Simone Weil, Pierre is dedicated to writing the biography of French painter Rosa Bonheur painting symbol of simple happiness, and figure of feminism in the 19th century, as George Sand.
should not be constantly in search of happiness because the simple fact of life should make us happy. The end of your novel is not a "happy ending", but rather a subtle note of hope. Times change, we are changing and take us to a life they never imagined.
Through this story, we retain as essential message that happiness is often in front of us and that we simply open our eyes to see. The mere smile would make us happy.
For all these reasons, we award the prize for European literature Jean Monnet Percin to Anne for her book "Happy Phantom", a novel that happens to mingle love and tragedy.
November 2010
© The students of the Jean Monnet European Youth
Ten schools are participating in the election of prize:
- Lycée Jean Rostand - Angouleme
- Lycée Marguerite de Valois - Angouleme
- School Elie Vinet - Barbezieux
- Andree Theuriet School - School Civray
- Beaulieu - Cognac
- Lycée Louis Delage - Cognac
- Lycée Jean Monnet - Cognac
- Paul Guerin High School - Niort
- Lycée Emile Combes - Pons
- Desclaude School - Holy
Through partnership with the Delegation to the Academic Cultural Education Rectorate of Poitiers and Poitou-Charentes, a book selection has been offered to every high school student.
Alert Weather France promises 30 cm snow by tonight. The cows are knowledgeable, they are lining up to go to the barn. 
