The integrity of France’s major literary awards were called into question this week by a government anti-corruption probe. “There is an evident risk of a conflict of interest. Moreover, the conditions in which the jury members are recruited or co-opted, often for life, are not exactly transparent, which makes them suspect as a matter of principle. France’s major literary awards such as the Prix Femina, the Prix Médicis and – most prestigious of all – the Prix Goncourt have long been accused of rigging their votes, taking it in turns to reward big publishers.”