Posthumous memoir released
Janet Malcolm's memoir Still Pictures was published in 2023, nearly two years after her death. The book was originally published in English in the United States and is now available in a French translation.Structure of the memoir
Still Pictures is not a traditional chronological account of Malcolm’s life. Instead, it uses black and white photographs and fragmented memories to explore themes of memory and identity.Career and legal history
Malcolm reflects on her career as a journalist and writer for The New Yorker, including a chapter about her defamation trial with Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson. However, the memoir primarily focuses on her childhood and family history.Family background
The book details Malcolm’s childhood in New York, where her family had once been part of a sophisticated Prague society before fleeing Nazi Germany in 1939. It portrays her parents and their circle of friends, highlighting their transition to middle-class Americans.Themes and reflections
Still Pictures meditates on memory, regret, and the idea that the past is "a country that does not grant any visas." Malcolm reflects on the uniqueness of individuals and the impermanence of memory.French edition details
The French edition of Still Pictures, translated by Jakuta Alikavazovic, is available in bookstores on November 5. It contains 176 pages and is priced at 22.50 €.
