Current Literature

France's Prix Femina is a literary award (5,000 francs) that was created in 1904 to lend to novels by and about women a prestige formerly denied them: France's top literary honor, the august Prix Goncourt, is reserved for male authors only. Last week, the 17 elderly French women writers who award the Prix Femina found their task too grisly, seemed about ready to leave prize-giving to the menfolk. "Life in today's novel," said one of the judges in an interview, "is twisted to eroticism. For instance, in Le Jeu et I'Enjeu [a recent French literary success] there is a revolting story. Two rats--you heard me --two rats fall upon a bed where two people are preparing to make bought love. I find that most symbolic of current literature."

Her colleagues agreed. "A committee of women," said one, "cannot crown a book dealing with erotic subjects."

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