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Here is our line-up for 2025:

Jan/Feb: Two Scandinavian Dramatists: Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg

Mar/April: French Female Prize Winners: Simone de Beauvoir and Marguerite Duras

May/June: Two Japanese Novelists: Jun'ichirō Tanizaki and Kōbō Abe

July/Aug: Spanish Civil War Connection: Federico García Lorca and Mercè Rodoreda

Sept/Oct: Ancient Greek Dramatists: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes

Nov/Dec: The Finer Things in Life: Marguerite Yourcenar and Françoise Sagan

Any author pairs that don't make it unto the schedule but get at least two votes will get another chance in the following year.

These two pairs are on their last chance:

The Two V's from India:
�������ī�쾱 - Ramayana
Vyasa - Mahabharata

A Happy Couple?
Max Frisch - Switzerland
Ingeborg Bachmann -Austria

Moderator's Suggestions:

Two Scandinavian Dramatists
Henrik Ibsen - Norway
August Strindberg - Sweden
* supported by Luis
*supported by Piyangie
*supported by Nancy

Masters of the Fairy Tale
Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm - Germany
Hans Christian Andersen- Denmark
* supported by Jen

Ancient Greek Dramatists
Tragedy-Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides
Comedy- Aristophanes
*supported by Jen
*supported by Kathy
*supported by Piyangie
*supported by Nancy

Two South African Authors
Alan Paton
Olive Schreiner


Members Suggestions:

Spanish Civil War Connection: from Jen
Federico García Lorca-Spain
Mercè Rodoreda -Catalonia
*supported by Rosemarie
*supported by Luis

Members of the Académie Francaise: from Nancy
François Mauriac
Joseph Kessel
*supported by Luis

Two French authors of detective novels: from Nancy
Gaston Leroux
Émile Gaboriau
*supported by Rosemarie
*supported by Lorraine

Two Prize-Winners from France: from Lorraine
Simone de Beauvoir
Marguerite Duras
*supported by Jen
*supported by Nancy
*supported by Luis
*supported by Kathy

Cross-Cultural Connection: from Jen
Albert Camus-born in Algeria, lived in France
Alba de Céspedes- born in Cuba, lived in Italy
*supported by Rosemarie
*supported by Luis

Two Japanese Novelists-from Jen
Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
Kōbō Abe
*supported by Lorraine

The Finer Things in Life-from Lorraine
Marguerite Yourcenar-France
Françoise Sagan-France
*supported by Kathy
*supported by Luis
*supported by Jen

The nomination thread will be open roughly for the month of October.

Don't hesitate to brainstorm here if you're looking for help.

I've been wanting to check out Federico García Lorca of Spain (1898-1936). I thought of pairing him with Mercè Rodoreda of Catalonia (1908-1983).

From GR bios, I see they both have connection with the Spanish Civil War. He was murdered by nationalists at the start of it and she is seen as an important writer of postwar period.

Sounds good, Jen.

I'll second Henrik Ibsen and August Strindberg.

Great! Thanks, Luis.

Here's another Moderator's Suggestion:

Ancient Greek Dramatists:
Tragedy- Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides
Comedy- Aristophanes
(I'm aware that there are four authors instead of two, but all three tragedians are so good I couldn't choose just one.)
*supported by Jen
*supported by Kathy
*supported by Piyangie

I’ll support the ancient Greeks :)

I also support the ancient Greeks.

I support ancient Greek dramatists and Scandinavian dramatists.

Can we support more than one, Rosemarie?

You can support 3, Piyangie.

Members are welcome to suggest pairs!

For now, you can support up to three pairs.
If more pairs are added-and we do need any suggestions-you can support the equivalent of half of the pairs, not half of a pair.
That will create the list for the semi-finals(or finals if there aren't that many).

Another suggestion:

Two South African writers:
Olive Schreiner
Alan Paton

Suggestion: France


François Mauriac (Nobel Prize Winner 1952)
Joseph Kessel (Elected to the Académie française in 1962)

Thank you, Nancy.

Message 2 has been updated with the complete list of new pairs.
Message 1 has the two pairs that have been carried over from last year.

Nancy wrote: "Suggestion: France


François Mauriac (Nobel Prize Winner 1952)
Joseph Kessel (Elected to the Académie française in 1962)"

I support: The Ancients - France ( of course) and Scandinavian dramatists.

I also support François Mauriac.

As usual, one group of pairs will be a Moderator's Choice-whether it will be one of the pairs on the list or an altogether different one depends on how the current pairs are doing.

Remember: the more choice the merrier!

So please keep your suggestions coming in!

Thank you to those who have already brought forward their pairs.

Suggestion France:


Gaston Leroux
Émile Gaboriau

I also support García Lorca.

Rosemarie wrote: "As usual, one group of pairs will be a Moderator's Choice-whether it will be one of the pairs on the list or an altogether different one depends on how the current pairs are doing.

Remember: the m..."

Other ideas:

From Italy:
Alba de Céspedes and Anna Maria Ortese

From Algeria:
Albert Camus and Frantz Fanon

From Japan, these 3 authors have books I'm curious about:
Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
Kōbō Abe
Osamu Dazai

Thanks, everyone!

From Japan, I second Tanizaki. From Italy, I second Alba de Céspedes. And from Algeria, I second Albert Camus.

Luìs, or anyone, do you have different ideas they can be paired with if you only like one author in the sets?

I think that Camus can be paired with Tanizaki. But that's just an opinion.

And Lorca with Céspedes.

The pairs have to have something substantial in common, not just the same country or genre.
Camus could be paired with another author was born outside of the main country. He was considered to be an outsider by the "real" French authors.

Jen, regarding the Japanese authors, which pair woud you prefer? We've already read The Makioka Sisters before you joined our group.

The authors need to be nominated in pairs, please.
The pairs in Message 1 and 2 cannot be split up.
Anything that isn't on those lists can be rearranged, but once it's there, it's a fixed pair.

I'm not adding any more pairs to those lists until at least tomorrow so you have some time to mix and match!

If you can find a valid link between two authors- go for it!

Nancy wrote: "Suggestion France:


Gaston Leroux
Émile Gaboriau"

Great choice. I'll add them to the list tomorrow.

Each time a set up two pairs is added to the master list, you will be able to support one more pair.
I'll let you know each time the list is updated, and also the maximum number of pairs you can support in total.

I am not so very knowledgeable of them but from what I gather�� Camus and de Cespedes are both of cross cultural backgrounds in different ways and both in their own ways were fighting fascist regimes of WW2.

Rosemarie, would 2 women winner of Nobel work as a pair?
and if yes, they should not be Canadian, American or British. Is that it?

Or The Goncourt?
Like Simone de Beauvoir et Marguerite Duras?

Lorraine wrote: "Rosemarie, would 2 women winner of Nobel work as a pair?
and if yes, they should not be Canadian, American or British. Is that it?"

I agree with Lorraine!

I would support de Beauvoir and Duras if that one is a go!

Lorraine wrote: "Rosemarie, would 2 women winner of Nobel work as a pair?
and if yes, they should not be Canadian, American or British. Is that it?

Or The Goncourt?
Like Simone de Beauvoir et Marguerite Duras?"

Definitely!

Jen wrote: "I am not so very knowledgeable of them but from what I gather�� Camus and de Cespedes are both of cross cultural backgrounds in different ways and both in their own ways were fighting fascist regime..."

That's a good connection, Jen. How readily available are Cespedes' works in translation? Camus is easy to find in French and in translation.

@Rosemarie, I have been noticing a lot of English-readers reading her lately - that’s really why I’ve learned of her here on GR. I think perhaps Forbidden Notebook has a new recent translation by Ann Goldstein who’s known for translating Ferrante and Morante.
I see two books of hers on my Libby but I am lucky in having a library membership in a major city. I actually was gifted a copy of Forbidden Notebook recently. Print of this one is easy to find. My guess is Her Side of the Story is also easy to find.

That's good to know, Jen. I'll update Message 2 about a day from now and that pair will be on it.
And also the two French authors suggested by Nancy.

I support the Japanese author
From Japan, these 3 authors have books I'm curious about:
Jun'ichirō Tanizaki
Kōbō Abe
Osamu Dazai

I would prefer Tanizaki and Abe but I am fine with other members choices

I'll add Tanizaki and Abe tomorrow as well, since their books are probably easier to get than Dazai's.

Another suggestion...

Marguerite Yourcenar
Françoise Sagan

Sagan, known for her novel Bonjour Tristesse (1954), shared with Yourcenar a love for the finer things in life. Sagan, a lover of wine, fast cars, and luxurious living, contrasted with Yourcenar’s more contemplative style but still indulged in worldly pleasures like good wine, which Yourcenar also enjoyed. While their styles differ, Sagan’s love for French culture, wit, and sophistication echoes Yourcenar’s appreciation for refinement.

Can we say, both lover of good wine? or refinement ?😊

Rosemarie wrote: "That's good to know, Jen. I'll update Message 2 about a day from now and that pair will be on it.
And also the two French authors suggested by Nancy."

what about Lorraine's French/prize winner women? I would give a vote to them.

also, it looks like you have support from Nancy under nomination from Nancy. was that meant to be someone else's name as support?

Rosemarie wrote: "I'll add Tanizaki and Abe tomorrow as well, since their books are probably easier to get than Dazai's."

I agree. Dazai books are hard to find in my part of the world.

Thanks for catching that, Jen! It's been adjusted.

Lorraine, I love the wine connection between the two authors!
I'll think of a clever way to phrase it.