“What does it mean when a book unlocks doors in your soul that you keep tightly closed because pain lives unabated inside them?” the author writes. And the truth is that no one could better describe the emotional attachment that every reader feels having encountered a book by Auguste Corteau than the author himself in his book entitled The Other Katherine (2022).
We have come to know and love Auguste Corteau through one of his works. Writing and using the right words seems a flawless process for this man. He manages to colour with emotions and outline with images the complex issues he deals with in his books. So, he does exactly what the passage quoted from his book says: he unlocks our souls and fills the darkness with light.
Auguste Corteau (a pen name he uses instead of his full name, Petros Hadjopoulos) is one of the most prolific authors of contemporary Greek fiction. Born in 1979 and raised in Thessaloniki, his path quickly led him to the capital of Greece, Athens. In fact, he has described the area of Exarchia, where he lives to this day, as his first publishing den since it is the location of the publishing houses that host his works.
“Writing for me is an impulse, an obsession that can’t be resisted; once I get the story in my head, and I see that it goes on, I’m a prisoner: I have to write it. I have to work every day, even on weekends and holidays.” said the author. (1)
As a reading public, we may have intertwined Auguste Corteau with his literary status, but this was not his initial path. He began his studies at the School of Medicine of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. However, he never completed them; this longing for sharing, for indirect yet intimate contact that writing a book exuded in him, led him down the authorial paths familiar to us. He has stated that writing for him is a pleasure, but also a basic need, just like hunger and thirst. But he never expected to make a living as a writer and he shows his gratitude to the public who love and support him.
Auguste Corteau, despite the intense criticism he has received, has produced an impressive number of works ranging from autobiographical novels to children’s literature. In 1999 he published his first collection of short stories, The Book of Vice, and since then, in addition to novels, he has written poetry, plays and children’s literature. Furthermore, he translates mainly contemporary American prose. He has also written the screenplay and music for Giorgos Panousopoulos’ film under the title Testosterone. When My Friends Are Sleeping (2021), Rena (2017), The Book of Katherine (2013) and The Small Word Love (2022) are just some of the works that have endeared him to readers. Rena and The Book of Katherine have been adapted for the stage.
If there is one thing that has made the author stand out in the contemporary Greek literary scene, it is certainly his courage to openly discuss issues that constitute a taboo in Greek society even today, putting particular emphasis on the issue of mental health.
The Book of Katherine (2013) and The Best Worst Day of Your Life (2020) recount the experiences of the author and his mother dealing with depression in an attempt to make us see the disorder from its root, given truthfully without evasion. With his disarming honesty, he attempts to help us better understand mental illness and fill us with reflections. At a time when Greek society avoids dealing with such issues both out of fear and ignorance, putting the victims on the side-line and forcing them to bury their problems in the dark alleys of their souls, Corteau is committed to showing the true side. Through his writings, the author wants to expel the shame and fear that prevents people from expressing themselves freely and asking for the help they need. He has stated that when dealing with depression, every consolation and drop of comfort is precious (2), and through the narration of his own experiences, he tries to do just that: to acknowledge the pain and bring it from the background to the foreground, while giving a message of comfort.
One could say much more about the artist, but it would never be worthy of his talent and greatness of soul. Through his books and social media presence, he fights for everything society leaves on the side-line. Everyone’s story deserves to be told, and that is something Corteau knows well. And he fights for it. Constantly. Leaving us, his loyal readership, with the final part: to support his work, to reflect and promote the free expression of emotions.
REFERENCES
(1) CultureNow (2021, 23 Ιουλίου), ηλεκτρονικό περιοδικό, συνέντευξη
(2) Artweek (2020, 14 Νοεμβρίου), τηλεοπτική εκπομπή,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iylE6ihDYAI
(3) Blackduckradio, ηλεκτρονικό περιοδικό
http://www.blackduckradio.gr/ο-αυγουστοσ-κορτω-στον-www-blackdukradio-gr/
