Reading passionate, he formed the basics of his immense culture in self -taught and, climbing one by one all the levels, had become an assistant editor of the “world of books”. The journalist, literary critic and writer died on October 18, at the age of 71 years.
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It happens for a while, after years to share a daily life, where we come to recognize a friend without raising our heads, to the rhythm of his steps. That of Patrick Kechichian, both slow, slightly dragging and regular, was recognizable among a thousand. He punctuated the studious days of the “world of books”, of which he was the working ankle for a quarter of a century. Journalist, literary critic and writer, he died brutally on the night of October 17 to 18, in Paris, in the midst of the books to which he had devoted his life. He was 71 years old.
In the corridors of the world, where he entered in February 1970, at the age of 18, Patrick enjoyed a singular prestige: that of having a unique knowledge of the newspaper for having had several lives. Child of an Armenian family of genocide survivors (his father’s parents had fled Constantinople while those of his mother had left Anatolia), he grew up in Paris, in a small apartment under the roofs of rue de Tournon , in a Saint-Germain-des-Prés who had not yet expelled his popular classes, a stone’s throw from these Luxembourg gardens which he will never cease to love.
His mother was holding an outdoor stall, at the foot of the Samaritaine, his father managed a grocery store in the New Athènes district, a stone’s throw from Place Pigalle and his nightlife. Patrick Kéchichian remained evasive on the reasons which pushed him to leave school in the first class. He only confided having helped his father for a time before joining Le Monde, rue des Italiens, as a floor boy.
spotted for his liveliness and curiosity
In a daily life without computer science or mobile telephony, still living in lead time and internal tire messages, these office employees were essential aid for the operation of editorial staff. Nevertheless, the working days also had their off -peak hours. It is there, seated on his stool, during the dead time, that this very young melancholy and thirsty for reading will constitute the bases of his immense bookish culture, in self -taught.
Entering the newspaper without any diploma, and at the bottom of the scale, Patrick Kechichian patiently manages to climb one by one all the levels. Spotted for his vivacity and his curiosity, he joined the documentation service in the mid -1970s. There, he binded himself with criticism Nicole Zand, who notices his love of poetry, takes him under his wing and encourages him to publish His first articles in “Le Monde of books”. François Bott (1935-2022) will be responsible for integrating it definitively within the team, of which he will quickly become an essential element, before being appointed Deputy Chief Editor.
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