Contar una historia: The Intimate Archive of Susan Sontag and John Berger

A new volume, Contar una historia, published by Editorial GG in 2026, brings together the private correspondence and public debates of Susan Sontag and John Berger. The book, edited by Benoît Bourreau, presents their exchange in reverse chronological order, from 1998 back to 1974, including their famous confrontation at the Aspen Congress. The collection reveals the intellectual and emotional depth of their friendship, showcasing their discussions on photography, ethics, and politics. It includes facsimiles of handwritten letters, with worn envelopes and pencil-drawn suns, and stenographic transcriptions. The volume highlights their critiques of the commodification of suffering, as seen in their analysis of Don McCullin's war photographs. Their correspondence, spanning from Mieussy to Paris and New York, served as a testing ground for their ideas, including Sontag's On Photography and Berger's Ways of Seeing. The book also addresses personal challenges, including Sontag's cancer, and their playful nickname for her, 'Azogue'. The publication avoids sensationalism, ending with a poignant reference to their shared love of ping-pong, leaving their dialogue suspended at 'twenty-all, your serve'.