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Alice Zeniter

アリス・ゼニテ

Arisu Zeniter

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1986-01-01 （Clamart, France）
Nationality
France
Languages
French
Residence History
Champfleur (raised) → Alençon (studies) → Paris (ENS student)

Career

Occupations
novelist, translator, scriptwriter, dramatist, director
Active Years
2003-

Education

École Normale Supérieure
Period: 2006–2011
Year of Graduation: 2011
Country: France
Studied at ENS in Paris (2006–2011)

Awards

Prix Renaudot des lycéens
2015
Work: Juste avant l'Oubli
Organization: Prix Renaudot
Result: 受賞
Prix Goncourt des lycéens
2017
Work: L'Art de Perdre
Organization: Académie Goncourt
Result: 受賞
Dublin Literary Award
2022
Work: L'Art de Perdre / The Art of Losing
Organization: Dublin City Libraries
Result: 受賞（翻訳者Frank Wynneと共に受賞）
Prix du Livre Inter
2013
Work: Sombre Dimanche
Organization: Radio France / Livre Inter
Result: 受賞
Prix de la Closerie des Lilas
2013
Work: Sombre Dimanche
Organization: La Closerie des Lilas
Result: 受賞
Prix des lecteurs de L'Express
2013
Work: Sombre Dimanche
Organization: L'Express
Result: 受賞
Prix Landerneau des lecteurs
2017
Work: L'Art de Perdre
Organization: Landerneau
Result: 受賞
Prix littéraire du Monde
2017
Work: L'Art de Perdre
Organization: Le Monde
Result: 受賞
Prix littéraire de la Porte Dorée
2010
Work: Jusque dans nos bras
Organization: Prix littéraire de la Porte Dorée
Result: 受賞
Prix littéraire Laurence Trân
2011
Work: Jusque dans nos bras
Organization: Laurence Trân Prize
Result: 受賞
Prix Liste Goncourt: Polish choice (Kraków)
2017
Work: L'Art de Perdre
Organization: Prix Liste Goncourt (international choices)
Result: 受賞（ポーランド選出）
Prix Liste Goncourt: Swiss choice
2017
Work: L'Art de Perdre
Organization: Prix Liste Goncourt (Swiss choice)
Result: 受賞（スイス選出）
Prix des libraires de Nancy
2017
Work: L'Art de Perdre
Organization: Booksellers of Nancy
Result: 受賞
Prix Goncourt
2017
Work: L'Art de Perdre
Organization: Académie Goncourt
Result: 最終候補（ファイナリスト）

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Deux moins un égal zéro

2003 Novel 112 pages

Her debut published at age 16; a short novel exploring youth, solitude and family relationships.

youthlonelinessfamily

Jusque dans nos bras

2010 Novel 236 pages

A novel about family, intimacy and loss. Published in English as Take This Man.

familylossidentity
Translations
  • Take This Man (English translation)

Sombre Dimanche

2013 Novel 236 pages

A novel focusing on complex human relationships and psychology; critically acclaimed and winner of several prizes.

human relationshipspsychologymelancholy

Juste avant l'Oubli

2015 Young adult novel

A young-adult novel addressing memory, parting and renewal. Winner of the Prix Renaudot des lycéens.

memorypartingrenewal

L'Art de Perdre

2017 Historical / family novel

A multi-generational novel tracing a family of Algerian origin and the history of migration in France. Widely acclaimed and published in English as The Art of Losing.

migrationmemoryidentityhistory
Translations
  • The Art of Losing (English translation, tr. Frank Wynne)

Comme un empire dans un empire

2020 Novel

A recent novel that questions contemporary French society and individual placement within it.

societyindividualpolitics

Bibliography

  • Deux moins un égal zéro (2003)
  • Jusque dans nos bras (2010)
  • Sombre Dimanche (2013)
  • Juste avant l'Oubli (2015)
  • L'Art de Perdre (2017)
  • Comme un empire dans un empire (2020)

Adaptations

  • Fever (film, 2014)

Translations by Author

  • I Love Dick (French translation of Chris Kraus, 2016)

Translations of Works

  • Take This Man (English translation of Jusque dans nos bras)
  • The Art of Losing (English translation of L'Art de Perdre, tr. Frank Wynne)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
narrative and multi-voicedweaves history with personal memorymeasured yet emotive treatment of social themes
Recurring Motifs
memory and forgettingfamily inheritancemigration and diasporaintergenerational dialogue

Legacy

Alice Zeniter is an important contemporary French writer known for her careful exploration of family memory and migration history. L'Art de Perdre received international recognition and its English translation was widely praised.

Archives

  • Holdings and authority data at the Bibliothèque nationale de France (BnF)

Trivia

  • Published her first novel, Deux moins un égal zéro, at age 16.
  • Born to an Algerian father and a French mother; known for works addressing migration and diaspora.
  • L'Art de Perdre won the Dublin Literary Award in its English translation (translated by Frank Wynne).