The Wepler-Fondation La Poste Prize was awarded on Monday, November 10, 2025, to writer Bernard Bourrit for *Détruire tout* (Destroy Everything), a radical and powerful debut novel published by Inculte/Actes Sud. This striking work, centered on a femicide committed in 1960s Switzerland, follows in the tradition of the prize, which for over 25 years has recognized bold and unclassifiable literary texts. A special mention from the jury was also awarded to Hélène Laurain for *Tambora*, an intimate and poetic narrative published by Verdier.
A 2025 list of winners marked by literary commitment
Previously known for his essays on outsider art and relics, 48-year-old Bernard Bourrit has written his first novel, Détruire tout (Destroying Everything), a work that is both chilling and profoundly human. It recounts the circumstances that led Alain, a tormented young man, to kill his partner, Carmen, in 1960s Switzerland. Described by his publisher as "an immersion in the spirit of the times," the text uses fiction to examine the mechanics of male violence and its social and psychological roots. The prize jury praised the author's "novelistic risk-taking" and "demanding style," according to the official press release.
As every year, the Wepler Prize was awarded at the eponymous brasserie in Paris's 18th arrondissement, in the presence of Marie-Rose Guarniéri, founder of the prize and of the Librairie des Abbesses bookstore. Endowed with €10,000 and supported by the La Poste Foundation, the prize relies on a jury renewed each year, composed of booksellers, journalists, readers, including a prison inmate and a postal worker. According to its founders, this principle guarantees a freedom and fresh perspective rarely found in the landscape of literary prizes.
A special mention for Hélène Laurain and her sensory narrative
The jury also recognized Hélène Laurain's Tambora, published by Verdier, awarding it a special mention and a prize of 3,000 euros. This narrative, written in the first person by a mother addressing her two daughters—one present, the other yet to be born—traverses a world whose contours have been shattered by lockdowns and ecological collapse. Alternating prose, reflection, and poetic fragments, Laurain composes a sensitive score on motherhood, grief, and contemporary anxieties.
With this 2025 edition, the Wepler Prize continues its mission: to offer a platform to unique voices, without succumbing to the prevailing trends of the literary season. By awarding two texts as different as they are ambitious, the jury reaffirms its commitment to a literature of risk, free and deeply rooted in the concerns of its time.
