Alain Mabanckou
Encyclopedia
Alain Mabanckou is an author
and journalist
who currently resides in the United States
.
where he received his baccalaureate in Letters and Philosophy at the Lycée Karl Marx. After preliminary law classes at The Marien-Ngouabi University in Brazzaville
studying law, he received a scholarship to go to France at the age of 22. He already had several manuscripts, mostly collections of poems, which he started publishing three years later.
After receiving a post-graduate diploma in law at the Université Paris-Dauphine, he worked for about ten years for the group Suez-Lyonnaise des Eaux, but dedicated himself more and more to writing after the publication of his first novel, Bleu-Blanc-Rouge (Blue-White-Red) which won him the Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire
. After this he continued to regularly publish prose and well as poetry.
He’s mostly known for his novels, notably Verre Cassé (Broken Glass) which was unanimously praised by the press, critics and readers alike. Verre cassé has also been the subject of several theatrical adaptations. In 2006 he published Memoires de porc-épic (Memoirs of a Porcupine) which garnered him the Prix Renaudot
, one of the highest distinctions in French literature. Broken Glass was published in English translation in 2009.
Starting in 2002 he taught Francophone Literature at the University of Michigan
as an Assistant professor. After 3 years there he was hired in 2006 by the University of California Los Angeles where he is now a full professor in the French Department.
He currently lives in Santa Monica, California
.
His works are published in many languages including English, Hebrew, Korean, Spanish, Catalan and Norwegian. His only books translated into English are African Psycho (Serpent's Tail
, UK, 2007), Broken Glass (Serpent's Tail
, UK, 2009) and Memoirs of a porcupine (Serpent's Tail
, UK, 2011), but several more will be released soon. His American publisher is Soft Skull Press in New York City.
In 2007 Mabanckou’s early poetry was re-published by Points-Seuil under the title Tant que les arbres s’enracineront dans la terre, as well as a book dedicated to James Baldwin
, Lettre à Jimmy (Fayard) on the occasion of Baldwin’s death.
Alain Mabanckou is considered to be one of the most talented and prolific writers in the French language today and the first francophone sub-saharian African writer to be published by Gallimard in its prestigious "collection" called La Blanche.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
who currently resides in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Life
Alain Mabanckou was born in Congo-Brazzaville in 1966. He spent his childhood in the coastal village of Pointe-NoirePointe-Noire
Pointe-Noire is the second largest city in the Republic of the Congo, following the capital of Brazzaville, and an autonomous department since 2004. Before this date it was the capital of the Kouilou region . It is situated on a headland between Pointe-Noire Bay and the Atlantic Ocean...
where he received his baccalaureate in Letters and Philosophy at the Lycée Karl Marx. After preliminary law classes at The Marien-Ngouabi University in Brazzaville
Brazzaville
-Transport:The city is home to Maya-Maya Airport and a railway station on the Congo-Ocean Railway. It is also an important river port, with ferries sailing to Kinshasa and to Bangui via Impfondo...
studying law, he received a scholarship to go to France at the age of 22. He already had several manuscripts, mostly collections of poems, which he started publishing three years later.
After receiving a post-graduate diploma in law at the Université Paris-Dauphine, he worked for about ten years for the group Suez-Lyonnaise des Eaux, but dedicated himself more and more to writing after the publication of his first novel, Bleu-Blanc-Rouge (Blue-White-Red) which won him the Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire
Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire
The Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire is a literary prize presented every year by the ADELF, the Association of French Language Writers for a French original text from Sub-Saharan Africa....
. After this he continued to regularly publish prose and well as poetry.
He’s mostly known for his novels, notably Verre Cassé (Broken Glass) which was unanimously praised by the press, critics and readers alike. Verre cassé has also been the subject of several theatrical adaptations. In 2006 he published Memoires de porc-épic (Memoirs of a Porcupine) which garnered him the Prix Renaudot
Prix Renaudot
The Prix Théophraste-Renaudot or Prix Renaudot is a French literary award which was created in 1926 by ten art critics awaiting the results of the deliberation of the jury of the Prix Goncourt....
, one of the highest distinctions in French literature. Broken Glass was published in English translation in 2009.
Starting in 2002 he taught Francophone Literature at the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
as an Assistant professor. After 3 years there he was hired in 2006 by the University of California Los Angeles where he is now a full professor in the French Department.
He currently lives in Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
.
His works are published in many languages including English, Hebrew, Korean, Spanish, Catalan and Norwegian. His only books translated into English are African Psycho (Serpent's Tail
Serpent's Tail
Serpent's Tail is a British independent publishing firm founded in 1986 by Pete Ayrton. It is notable for its translated works, particularly European crime fiction, and is the British publisher of Elfriede Jelinek and Lionel Shriver...
, UK, 2007), Broken Glass (Serpent's Tail
Serpent's Tail
Serpent's Tail is a British independent publishing firm founded in 1986 by Pete Ayrton. It is notable for its translated works, particularly European crime fiction, and is the British publisher of Elfriede Jelinek and Lionel Shriver...
, UK, 2009) and Memoirs of a porcupine (Serpent's Tail
Serpent's Tail
Serpent's Tail is a British independent publishing firm founded in 1986 by Pete Ayrton. It is notable for its translated works, particularly European crime fiction, and is the British publisher of Elfriede Jelinek and Lionel Shriver...
, UK, 2011), but several more will be released soon. His American publisher is Soft Skull Press in New York City.
In 2007 Mabanckou’s early poetry was re-published by Points-Seuil under the title Tant que les arbres s’enracineront dans la terre, as well as a book dedicated to James Baldwin
James Baldwin (writer)
James Arthur Baldwin was an American novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic.Baldwin's essays, for instance "Notes of a Native Son" , explore palpable yet unspoken intricacies of racial, sexual, and class distinctions in Western societies, most notably in mid-20th century America,...
, Lettre à Jimmy (Fayard) on the occasion of Baldwin’s death.
Alain Mabanckou is considered to be one of the most talented and prolific writers in the French language today and the first francophone sub-saharian African writer to be published by Gallimard in its prestigious "collection" called La Blanche.
Novels and Compilations
- 1998 : Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, Présence africaine
- 2000 : L'enterrement de ma mère, Éditions Kaléidoscope
- 2001 : Et Dieu seul sait comment je dors, Présence Africaine
- 2002 : Les Petits-fils nègres de Vercingétorix, Serpent à Plumes / En poche chez « Points »,Editions du Seuil, 2006
- 2003 : African Psycho, Le Serpent à Plumes / En poche chez « Points », Editions du Seuil, 2006 (English translation, African Psycho, 2007)
- 2005 : Verre cassé, Éditions du Seuil / En poche chez « Points », Editions du Seuil, 2006 (English translation: Broken glass, 2009)
- 2006 : Mémoires de porc-épic, Seuil / (Prix Renaudot) / En poche chez « Points », Editions du Seuil, 2007
- 2006 : Propos coupés-décalés d'un Nègre presque ordinaire, Télérama
- 2009 : Black Bazar, Seuil
- 2010 : Demain j'aurai vingt ans, Gallimard
Poetry
- 1993 : Au jour le jour, Maison rhodanienne de poésie
- 1995 : La légende de l'errance, Éditions L'Harmattan
- 1995 : L'usure des lendemains, Nouvelles du Sud
- 1997 : Les arbres aussi versent des larmes, L'Harmattan
- 1999 : Quand le coq annoncera l'aube d'un autre jour, L'Harmattan
- 2007 : Tant que les arbres s'enracineront dans la terre, Oeuvre poétique complète, « Points », Seuil
Prizes, Awards and Recognitions
- Prix de la Société des poètes français, 1995 for the collection of poetry L'usure des lendemains
- Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noireGrand prix littéraire d'Afrique noireThe Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire is a literary prize presented every year by the ADELF, the Association of French Language Writers for a French original text from Sub-Saharan Africa....
, for his first novel Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, 1999 - Prix du roman Ouest-France-Etonnants Voyageurs 2005, for the novel Verre cassé
- Prix des cinq continents de la francophonie 2005, for the novel Verre cassé
- Prix RFO du livre 2005, for the novel Verre cassé
- Prix RenaudotPrix RenaudotThe Prix Théophraste-Renaudot or Prix Renaudot is a French literary award which was created in 1926 by ten art critics awaiting the results of the deliberation of the jury of the Prix Goncourt....
2006, for the novel Mémoires de porc-épic - Prix de La Rentrée littéraire 2006, for the novel Mémoires de porc-épic
- Prix Aliénor d'Aquitaine 2006, for the novel Mémoires de porc-épic
- Prix Créateurs Sans Frontières 2007 (Ministère français des Affaires Etrangères), for the novel Mémoires de porc-épic
- Médaille de citoyen d'honneur de la ville de Saint-Jean-d'AngélySaint-Jean-d'AngélySaint-Jean-d'Angély is a commune in the Charente-Maritime department in southwestern France.The commune has its historical origins in the Abbey of Saint-Jean-d'Angély.-Royal abbey:...
(Charente-MaritimeCharente-MaritimeCharente-Maritime is a department on the west coast of France named after the Charente River.- History :Previously a part of Saintonge, Charente-Inférieure was one of the 83 original departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790...
, France), 2004 - Chevalier de la Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
par décret du Président de la République française, 2010. - Georges Brassens Prize 2010, for the novel Demain j'aurai vingt ans
External links
Official Website :- http://www.alainmabanckou.net/