French writer Emmanuel Carrère has been named as this year’s recipient of the 2017 FIL Literary Award in Romance Languages, to be presented at the Guadalajara International Book Far, November 25 to December 3.
In their decision, the judging panel described Carrère, 59, as, “The author of a versatile, broad and transversal body of work that has earned him vast and enthusiastic international distinction.” Calling him the heir of Montaigne and Rousseau, the panel said his autobiographies take on “a critical dimension where he can describe himself without making excuses and unabashedly explore the dark areas of the contemporary human condition.
“On one hand, he’s able to reread and comment on the Bible with the erudition shown in a book like ‘The Kingdom’ (2014), and on the other, he is author of the acclaimed biography of Philip K. Dick, and a passionate reader of science fiction and journalistic writing,” added the judges. Among Carrère’a other numerous works are La Classe de Neige (1995), The Adversary (2000), A Russian Novel (2007), Lives Other than My Own (2009) and Limonov (2011).
The prize, which includes a purse of US$150,000, is the FIL’s highest distinction and acknowledges a lifetime of dedication to literary creation. This year, 72 creators from 18 countries were nominated.