Charles Cédric Tsimi, Cameroonian underground turned French writer

Writer Charles Cédric Tsimi in studio at RFI (March 2021).

© Catherine Fruchon-Toussaint / RFI

By: Catherine Fruchon-Toussaint

2 min

Charles Cédric Tsimi was born in Cameroon 30 years ago.

After a few years spent in France without papers, today he can proudly present his residence permit.

A struggle with the administration which inspired his first novel, which appeared under the title “Clandestinement vôtre” in the Grenade collection, published by J.-C. Lattès. 

Publicity

Secretly yours © JC Lattès

"As part of an application for a residence permit, a young illegal immigrant is invited to take a French proficiency test. Stung, he responds to the administration by sending the book you are holding in your hands. style as eloquent as it is stripping, the story of his arrival in France.

In

Clandestinement Vôtre

, you will not hear about colonization or skin color, but you will taste the scathing humor of a young man who dreams of leaving Cameroon to study political science in France.

You will follow him in his hexagonal adventures, striving to survive, to play with his intelligence, sometimes with his charms, to give life to his ambition: to return home one day to lead a revolution. 

No room for taboos with Charles Cédric.

The only thing that matters is life, memories, the present moment, love, happiness.

Sincerity.

This book is a fiction inspired by his life, to which were added a few canards of which the writers have the secret.

This is how they approach the truth. "

(Presentation by JC Lattès editions)

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  • Literature

  • France

  • Cameroon

  • French language

  • Culture

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