Adam Gopnik received the medal of Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters on March 11, 2013, in an insignia ceremony presided over by Antonin Baudry, Cultural Counselor of the French Embassy at the French Embassy Cultural Services in New York, amidst an illustrious gathering including Mr. Gopnik’s family, Editorial Director of The New Yorker Henry Finder, The New Yorker’s film critic Richard Brody, as well as other close friends and colleagues.

In his remarks, Mr. Baudry praised Adam Gopnik’s Voltarian picture of France and America and described Gopnik as intellectually bilingual and filled with the nuances of French culture. He lauded Gopnik’s ability to extract deep meaning on subjects that are seemingly light and quoted famous highlights from Gopnik’s best-seller “Paris to the Moon.” Gopnik responded on this occasion with a heart-felt speech describing his longtime relationship with France in which he stated that France has never disappointed him.

About the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres

The Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (Order of Arts and Letters) was created in 1957 to recognize eminent artists and writers, as well as individuals who have contributed to furthering the arts in France and throughout the world. The Order, which is composed of three ranks (chevalier, officer, commander), is given out twice annually to only a few hundred people worldwide. Several Americans have received the award, including Paul Auster, Ornette Coleman, Agnes Gund, Marilyn Horne, Jim Jarmusch, Richard Meier, Robert Paxton, Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, and Uma Thurman.