Roger Peyrefitte

Roger Peyrefitte (August 17, 1907–November 5, 2000) was a French diplomat and writer who in his novels often treated controversial themes and whose work put him at odds with the Roman Catholic church, Marlene Dietrich, Françoise Sagan, André Gide, and Henry de Montherlant, among others.

Born in Castres to a wealthy family, Peyrefitte went to a Jesuit college and then studied language and literature in Toulouse. In 1931, he became a diplomat in the French foreign ministry.

In 1945, he was removed from office due to charges of collaboration with the German occupation forces, but reinstated in 1962.

He wrote openly about his homosexual experiences in boarding school (Les amitiés particulières, 1943), which won the coveted prix Renaudot in 1945. He also attacked the Vatican (Les Clefs de Saint-Pierre, 1955), and revealed the ins and outs of diplomacy (Les ambassades, 1951). Many, if not most of his works have a pederastic undertone, and in some he freely explores that side of his own personality.

He also wrote about Baron Jacques d'Adelsward-Fersen's exile in Capri (L'Exilé de Capri, 1959) and translated Greek pederastic love poetry (La Muse garçonnière (The Boyish Muse), Flammarion, 1973).

Quotes

"I am the most well-known defender of homosexual rights in France. That is certain. Often they call me 'The Pope of Homosexuality.' That's because I am the author of The Keys of St. Peter and The Knights of Malta, the most important books by a contemporary writer on the Catholic Church."
-- in Gay Sunshine Journal (1979)
"I love the lambs, not the sheep." (J'aime les agneaux, pas les moutons!)

Bibliography

List of his principal works in chronological order:

See also: Roger Peyrefitte, 1907, 1931, 1943, 1945, 1951, 1955, 1959, 1962, 1973