Jean-Claude Lamy

Jean-Claude Lamy (3 August 1941 – 2 February 2025) was a French journalist, writer and publisher.

Biography

Early life and education Jean-Claude Lamy was born in Valence, Drôme, France on 3 August 1941. He studied journalism at the Centre de Formation des Journalistes (CFJ), where he trained before entering the profession in the 1960s.

Journalistic career As a journalist, Jean-Claude Lamy joined France-Soir in the 60s where he stayed over thirty years. There he met Pierre Lazareff and wrote the first biography of the famous newspaper's director. In addition, he was also a chronicler at Le Figaro, through which he met the great writers of his time (Hervé Bazin, Marguerite Duras, Albert Cohen, Marguerite Yourcenar, François Nourissier, etc.) of whom he realized the portraits through interviews. Since 2001, Jean-Claude Lamy was a columnist at the Midi Libre.

In the 1970s, Jean-Claude Lamy became a close friend of Françoise Sagan. The novelist confided her memories, and he wrote, with her agreement and complicity, an important biography, Françoise Sagan, une légende (Mercure de France).

Passionate about publishing, and , in particular the adventures of Arsène Lupin and Rouletabille, he created the "Cercle Gaston Leroux" with the daughter of the author of the Mystère de la chambre jaune. Among the first members were Jacques and Pierre Prévert, who later inspired his new book, which was crowned by the Goncourt of biography in 2008.

In 2011, he was one of the members of the jury of the Prix Françoise Sagan.

Death Lamy died on 2 February 2025, at the age of 83.

Works (selection) 1972: Au petit bonheur la Chambre, with Marc Kunstlé, cartoons by Cabu, éditions Julliard 2000: La Belle Inconnue, Éditions du Rocher, prix François-Billetdoux 2001: La Guerre, mademoiselle, Éditions du Rocher, prix de la ville d'Étretat 2002: Mac Orlan : l'aventurier immobile, Albin Michel, 2003: Gaston Leroux ou le vrai Rouletabille. Une biographie suivie de Six histoires épouvantables, Éditions du Rocher - 2004: Brassens, le mécréant de Dieu, Albin Michel, 2006: La Comédie des livres, Albin Michel, 2008: Bernard Buffet, le samouraï, Albin Michel, 2008: Prévert, les frères amis, Albin Michel, 2011: Et Dieu créa les femmes : Brigitte, Françoise, Annabel et les autres, Albin Michel, 2012: Éloge du non, Monaco-Paris, France, Le Rocher, 2013: Le Mystère de la chambre Jeanne Calment, Fayard, 2013: Le Miroir de la Grande Guerre, Éditions Anne Carrière, 2014: Éditeur et préfacier des mémoires posthumes de Robert Sabatier, Je vous quitte en vous embrassant bien fort, Albin Michel, 2015: Chez Brassens. Légende d'un poète éternel, Monaco-Paris, France, Le Rocher,