The Immortals

A glance behind the scenes and secrets of an extraordinary literary family…

From 1973 to 1981, Paul Pavlowitch played the part of the author ‘Emile Ajar’. But Emile Ajar didn’t exist – he was an invention of Paul’s uncle, the celebrated writer and Goncourt prize-winner Romain Gary. Gary recruited Pavlowitch to portray Ajar in public appearances, allowing Gary to remain unknown as the true author of the Ajar works and enabling him to win the 1975 Goncourt Prize, a second time, thus violating The Goncourt regulations.

At the age of 80, Paul Pavlowitch, nephew of Romain Gary and the “face” of Emile Ajar, reveals the story of their family. From Gary’s marriage to the iconic actress Jean Seberg, to the truth behind the “Ajar affair”, Pavlowitch reveals the fascinating and complicated life of one of France’s most revered contemporary writers. This book is the legacy of the “last living protagonist” of a distant era.