On Thursday, October 25, at 7 p.m., La Maison Française of New York University will host a special event: a conversation between literary agent Georges Borchardt, co-founder and president of Georges Borchardt, Inc., a literary agency representing over 200 distinguished English-language writers, and Rachel Donadio, writer and editor at The New York Times Book Review. Free and open to the public, the event takes place at La Maison Française, located at 16 Washington Mews (at University Place). For further information, call 212.998.8750 or visit www.nyu.edu/maisonfrancaise.
The conversation focuses on Borchardts long and exceptional career. While teaching French at NYU, he began his career in publishing by representing French publishers in the U.S. He is responsible for the publication of over 2,000 translations from the French, including works by Roland Barthes, Samuel Beckett, Marguerite Duras, Michel Foucault, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Elie Wiesel. He also represents many other internationally recognized writers, including John Ashbery, T. Coraghessan Boyle, John Dower, Mavis Gallant, Ian McEwan, Louis Begley, Claire Messud, and Jean Strouse. Borchardt also has lectured widely on publishing, served on the board of PEN, and is past-president of the Association of Authors Representatives.
During the evening Borchardt will be presented with the Medal of Honor of the Center for French Civilization and Culture of NYU.