Agnès Poirier talks to Matthew Stadlen

French journalist and writer Agnès Poirier tells the story of the original intellectual and artistic community that lived in Paris between 1940 and 1950 and whose work still has an impact on us today.

Poirier explains how Paris attracted the most original voices of the day including Norman Mailer, Miles Davis, Simone de Beauvoir, James Baldwin, Juliette Greco, Alberto Giacometti, Saul Bellow and Arthur Koestler. They were fuelled by the elation of liberation and hoped to find an alternative to the capitalist and communist models for life, art and politics.

‘Poirier’s hugely enjoyable, quick-witted and richly anecdotal book is magnifique’ The Times

Poirier is a Paris-born journalist who works between Paris and London. She has covered British cultural life for Le Monde, Le Figaro and Libération. Her other books include Notre-Dame: The Soul of France and Touché: Why Britain and France are so Different. Here she talks to broadcaster and author Matthew Stadlen.