The French Academy lost one of its esteemed members last week with the passing of Max Gallo. This fervent advocate of the French language started his career in journalism. His foray into the world of politics was marked by his active contribution in the communist party at the end of the 1950s; he later joined the socialist party and served as secretary of state under the late French President François Mitterand.
Among several books on the history of France, Italy and Europe, Gallo wrote a remarkable series on the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, that was produced in 2002 as a televised mini-series, starring John Malkovich, Isabella Rossellini and Gérard Depardieu. The literary legacy of this prolific writer and historian is considered one of the greatest contributions to contemporary French literature.