Roger Peyrefitte
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Roger Peyrefitte (August 17, 1907–November 5, 2000) was a French diplomat and writer who in his novels often treated controversial themes and whose work put him at odds with the Roman Catholic church, Marlene Dietrich, Françoise Sagan, André Gide, and Henry de Montherlant, among others.
Born in Castres to a wealthy family, Peyrefitte went to a Jesuit college and then studied language and literature in Toulouse. In 1931, he became a diplomat in the French foreign ministry.
In 1945, he was removed from office due to charges of collaboration with the German occupation forces, but reinstated in 1962.
He wrote openly about his homosexual experiences in boarding school (Les amitiés particulières, 1943), which won the coveted prix Renaudot in 1945. He also attacked the Vatican (Les Clefs de Saint-Pierre, 1955), and revealed the ins and outs of diplomacy (Les ambassades, 1951). Many, if not most of his works have a pederastic undertone, and in some he freely explores that side of his own personality.
He also wrote about Baron Jacques d'Adelsward-Fersen's exile in Capri (L'Exilé de Capri, 1959) and translated Greek pederastic love poetry (La Muse garçonnière (The Boyish Muse), Flammarion, 1973).
Quotes
- "I am the most well-known defender of homosexual rights in France. That is certain. Often they call me 'The Pope of Homosexuality.' That's because I am the author of The Keys of St. Peter and The Knights of Malta, the most important books by a contemporary writer on the Catholic Church."
- -- in Gay Sunshine Journal (1979)
- "I love the lambs, not the sheep." (J'aime les agneaux, pas les moutons!)
Bibliography
List of his principal works in chronological order:
- Les Amitiés particulières, novel, Editions Flammarion 1944
- Mademoiselle de Murville, novel, Editions Jean Vigneau 1947
- Le Prince des neiges, drama in 3 acts, Editions Jean Vigneau 1947.
- L'Oracle, novel, Editions Jean Vigneau 1948 (éd. définitive en 1974)
- Les Amours singulières, novel, Editions Jean Vigneau 1949
- La Mort d'une mère, Editions Flammarion 1950
- Les Ambassades, novel, Editions Flammarion 1951
- Les Œuvres libres - Roger Peyrefitte, etc. Editions Arthème Fayard 1951.
- Du Vésuve à l'Etna, short story, Editions Flammarion 1952
- La Fin des ambassades, novel, Editions Flammarion 1953
- Les Amours, de Lucien de Samosate (translated out of the Greek), Editions Flammarion 1954
- Les Clés de Saint-Pierre, novel, Editions Flammarion 1955
- Jeunes Proies, Editions Flammarion 1956
- Les Chevaliers de Malte, Editions Flammarion 1957
- L'Exilé de Capri, Editions Flammarion 1959
- Le Spectateur nocturne, dramatic dialogue, Editions Flammarion 1960
- Les Fils de la lumière, study of Free-Masonry, Editions Flammarion 1961.
- La Nature du Prince, Editions Flammarion 1963
- Les Secrets des conclaves, Editions Flammarion 1964
- Les Juifs, Editions Flammarion 1965
- Notre Amour, Editions Flammarion 1967
- Les Américains, novel, Editions Flammarion 1968
- Des Français, novel, Editions Flammarion 1970
- La Coloquinte, novel, Editions Flammarion 1971
- Manouche, short story, Editions Flammarion 1972
- L'Enfant Amour, essay, Editions Flammarion 1972
- Un Musée de l'Amour, photographs of his collection of pederastic art by Marianne Haas, Editions du Rocher 1972
- La Muse Garçonnière, (Musa Paidika) translated out of the Greek, Editions Flammarion 1973
- Tableaux de chasse, ou la vie extraordinaire de Fernand Legros, Editions Albin Michel 1976
- Propos secrets (volume 1) - Editions Albin Michel 1977
- Trilogy about Alexander the Great - Editions Albin Michel
- I. - La Jeunesse d'Alexandre, 1977
- II. - Les Conquêtes d'Alexandre, 1979
- III. - Alexandre le Grand, 1981
- Propos secrets, (volume 2) - Editions Albin Michel 1980
- L'Enfant de cœur, short story, Editions Albin Michel 1978
- Roy, novel, Editions Albin Michel 1979
- L'Illustre écrivain, Editions Albin Michel 1982
- Henry de Montherlant - Roger Peyrefitte - Correspondance : (1938-1941), presentation and notes by R. Peyrefitte and Pierre Sipriot, Editions Robert Laffont 1983
- La Soutane rouge, Edition du Mercure de France, 1983
- Doucet Louis, raconté par... photographs by Rosine Mazin, Editions Sun 1985
- Voltaire, sa jeunesse et son temps, biography, Editions Albin Michel 1985
- Voltaire et Frédéric II, Editions Albin Michel 1992
- Réflexions sur De Gaulle, Paris, Editions régionales 1991
- Le Dernier des Sivry, novel, Editions du Rocher - Monaco -1993
- Retour en Sicile, Editions du Rocher - Monaco - 1996.de:Roger Peyrefitte