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OUR AUTHORS
Jean-Christophe RUFIN
Originally a medical doctor, and early engaged in humanitarian actions, Jean-Christophe Rufin has accomplished many missions, from East Africa to Central America, and from Southeast Asia to the Indian subcontinent. A former vice-president of “Médecins sans Frontières” and former president of "Action contre la Faim", he also held responsibilities in various ministerial offices and he was appointed French Ambassador to Senegal in 2007.
As a writer, he first published political essays: “Le Piège humanitaire” (1986), “L’Empire et les nouveaux barbares” (1992) “L’Aventure humanitaire” (1994).
For over ten years now, he has been devoting himself to writing novels. Several of them have been awarded prestigious prizes and have become classics : “L’Abyssin” (1997), “Les causes perdues” (1999, Interallié prize), “Rouge Brésil” (2001, Goncourt prize) “Globalia” (2004) “La Salamandre” (2005).
Two of his books “Le Parfum d’Adam” (2007) and “Katiba” (2010) explore the contemporary world and are the beginning of a series entitled “Les Enquêtes de Providence”. We owe him also an autobiography focused on his medical career and his literary and humanitarian commitment : “Un Léopard sur le garrot” (2008).
Since June 2008, he is a member of the French Academy, where he holds the seat of Henri Troyat.
“Sept histoires qui reviennent de loin” published in 2011, received an enthusiastic reception from audiences and critics alike, thus giving the lie to those who argue that short-stories are not a successful genre in France...
“Le Grand coeur” published in 2012, is a historical novel concerning Jacques Coeur.
In April 2013, he published the report of his pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela : “Immortelle randonnée. Compostelle malgré moi”, awarded with the “Nomad’s” prize. His latest novel “Le Collier Rouge” was released in February 2014 by Gallimard Editions.
FRANKETIENNE
Great poet, novelist, playwright, but also a painter, musician, and actor, Haitian writer Frankétienne is one of the greatest contemporary writers.
Born in Haiti in 1936, a teacher for many years, he took part in 1968 in the creation of “spiraliste” movement, which advocates total art by mixing fiction, theatrical and poetic genres. A committed writer, Frankétienne built an immense work, with nearly forty titles. Recognized worldwide, he has already received numerous awards for his work, and is considered worthy of a Nobel Prize. He has also been recognized as the Artist for Peace in 2010 by UNESCO and named Commander of Arts and Letters in France in June 2010.
Franketienne is the author of:
- « Ultravoca »l, Port-au-Prince, Franketienne, 1972 [rééd. Paris , Hoëbeke, 2004]
-« Dézafi », Port-au-Prince, Fardin, 1975
- « Pèlin-Tèt », Port-au-Prince, Éditions du Soleil, 1978
- « Troufoban », Port-au-Prince, Les Presses port-au-princiennes, 1978
- « Les affres d'un défi », Port-au Prince, H. Deschamps, 1979 [réed., Paris, Jean-Michel Place, 2000 et « La Roque-d'Anthéron », Vents d'ailleurs, 2010] Fleurs d'insomnie, Port-au-Prince, H. Deschamps, 1986
-« Adjanoumlezo », « espiral », [Port-au-Prince], [s.n.], 1987
- « L'oiseau schizophone », Port-au-Prince, Éditions des Antilles, 1993 [réed. Paris, Jean-Michel Place, 1998]
- « Mûr à crever », Port-au-Prince, Éditions Mémoire, 1994 [réed. Bordeaux, Ana, 2004]
- « Les métamorphoses de l'oiseau schizophone », » huit mouvements », Port-au-Prince, Spirale, 1996 [rééd. La Roque d'Anthéron, Vents d'ailleurs, 2004-]
- « D'un pur silence inextinguible » : spirale préf. de Rodney Saint-Eloi, La Roque d'Anthéron , Vents d'ailleurs, 2004
- « D'une bouche ovale » : spirale, La Roque d'Anthéron , Vents d'ailleurs, 2006
- « La méduse orpheline » : spirale , La Roque d'Anthéron , Vents d'ailleurs, 2006
-« La nocturne connivence des corps inverses » : spirale, La Roque d'Anthéron, Vents d'ailleurs, 2006
- « Une étrange cathédrale dans la graisse des ténèbres » : spirale, La Roque-d'Anthéron , Vents d'ailleurs, 2011
- « Clavier de sel et d'ombre » : spirale, La Roque-d'Anthéron : Vents d'ailleurs, 2011 ,
- « Voix marassas », spirale francréolophonique, Port-au-Prince, [s.n.], 1998
- « Foukifoura », Port-au-Prince, Franketienne, 2000
- « Dézafi », « woman », Châteauneuf-le-Rouge, Vents d'ailleurs, 2002
SYLVAIN TESSON
Sylvain Tesson is a French travel writer, born in 1972, and a geographer. He is the author of many books : travel accounts, essays, short stories… His recent publications have earned him critical acclaim: "Une vie à coucher dehors" (Gallimard) was awarded the Short Story Goncourt Prize in 2009, and "Dans les Forêts de Sibérie" (Gallimard) won the Essay Medici Prize in 2011.
His many travel stories are inspired by his journeys around the world.
He travels mostly on his own, independently, and keeps away from modern technology.
In 1991, he cycled through central Iceland, and in 1994 he achieved a world tour by bicycle with Alexandre Poussin. He wrote about this trip in his book «On a roulé sur Terre", (1996) which has been awarded the IGN Prize.
Later, in 1997, again with Alexandre Poussin, he crossed the Himalayas by foot, a five months journey, from Bhutan to Tajikistan.
This journey was followed by the publication of "Himalaya: Visions de marcheurs de cimes" (1998).
Many other books are based on his travel experiences: in 1999, he rode over 3,000 km across the steppes of Central Asia on horseback, with photographer Priscilla Telmon,. That trip led to two books: "La Chevauchée des steppes" in 2001 and "Carnets de Steppes: à cheval à travers l’Asie Centrale" in 2002.
In 2004, he followed the route of the gulag escapees as described by Slavomir Rawicz in "The Long Walk"(1955) and reports his journey in his book "L’Axe du loup".
In 2010, he undertook a project of living six months as a hermit in a cabin on the shore of Lake Baikal, in southern Siberia. He recounts this solitary experience in his diary: "In the forests of Siberia."
His latest book, "S’abandonner à vivre" (Gallimard), a collection of short stories, was released in December 2013
CHRISTOPHE ONO-DIT-BIO
Christophe Ono-dit-Biot, the son of two teachers, decided very young to become a writer. As a young man, he failed the “aggregation” examination (a civil service competitive examination), and he saw this as an opportunity to write his first novel, “Désagrégé (e)”, published in 2000. This work, tinged with his travel experience to Cuba, was among the finalists for the Deux-Magots prize. It also was awarded with the Edmee de La Rochefoucauld prize, and a movie adaptation project is based on it. Meanwhile, the young talented man worked on the 19th century “decadent writers” and began to make himself known after he released his diary - 'Le Journal de l’ennervé - on the Internet. Shortly after, Frédéric Taddeï (a French well-known host for TV and Radio programs) did a report on him. Then Christophe Ono-dit-Biot eventually passed his “aggregation” in modern literature, and started to work as a teacher in a technical school near the city of Meaux. Later, he took his first steps in journalism, working at “Elle” magazine as a literary critic, while writing numerous reports – including for the newspaper “Le Point”. Ever passionate about travel, his second novel “Interdit à toute femme et à toute femelle” published in 2002 by Plon, is inspired by his frequent stays on the greek island of Athos. Two years later, he released “Génération spontanée”, a realistic work, evoking with ferocity the publishing and reality shows world, inspired by his experience in Belize. With “Birmane”, published in 2007, Christophe Ono-dit-Biot pays warm tribute to Burma, a country undergoing major transformation and that he knows well and loves.
His novel "Diving", published in 2013 by Gallimard, was awarded the French Academy’s Novel Grand Prize.
Nicholas FOX WEBER
Nicholas Fox Weber runs the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation, writes books and essays, and spearheads a non-profit organization he founded to assist with medical care and education in Senegal. This website focuses mainly on his fourteen books, his journalism, and his lectures.
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