Marcelin Pleynet's 'Le savoir-vivre' Reviewed by Jacques Henric

Jacques Henric reviews Marcelin Pleynet's book 'Le savoir-vivre,' published by Éditions Gallimard. The work blends memoir, poetic meditation, and a manual for living, centered on Pleynet's experience undergoing prostate cancer surgery at Hôpital Foch in Suresnes-Mont Valérien. Before the operation, Pleynet visits the Louvre; during recovery, he rereads Rimbaud, listens to Purcell and Mozart, and recalls paintings by Giorgione, Piero della Francesca, and Manet. He reflects on his life, noting he has never before confronted pain or fear, and describes a sense of daily resurrection. The review highlights the book's juxtaposition of personal illumination with the historical memory of Mont Valérien, where Communards and Resistance fighters were executed. Henric questions whether readers will grasp the deeper meaning of Pleynet's manual.