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Edition 47 (1994) Winner
Calixthe Beyala
カリクステ・ベヤラ
Calixthe Beyala
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1961-10-26 （Sa'a, Cameroon）
- Nationality
- Cameroon, France
- Languages
- French
- Residence History
- Sa'a (birthplace) → Douala (education) → Bangui (education) → Spain (residence) → Paris (residence and literary activity)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Writer
- Active Years
- 1987-
- Influenced By
- Grandmother (family influence), Aunt (family influence)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| École Principale du Camp Mboppi (Douala) | — | — | — | 幼年期〜初等教育 | Cameroon |
| Lycée des Rapides (Bangui) | — | — | — | 中等教育 | Central African Republic |
| Lycée Polyvalent de Douala | — | — | バカロレア取得 | 中等教育〜バカロレア | Cameroon |
| Studies in Paris | — | — | — | 1970s–1980s | France |
École Principale du Camp Mboppi (Douala)
Period:
幼年期〜初等教育
Country:
Cameroon
Primary education.
Lycée des Rapides (Bangui)
Period:
中等教育
Country:
Central African Republic
Attended secondary school in Bangui.
Lycée Polyvalent de Douala
Degree:
バカロレア取得
Period:
中等教育〜バカロレア
Country:
Cameroon
Won a scholarship to study in Paris after strong academic performance.
Studies in Paris
Period:
1970s–1980s
Country:
France
Moved to Paris as a teenager and obtained the baccalauréat.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire | Maman a un amant | — | Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire | 受賞 |
| 1994 | Prix François Mauriac | Assèze l'Africaine | — | Académie française | 受賞 |
| 1994 | Prix tropique | — | — | Unknown | 受賞 |
| 1996 | Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française | Les Honneurs perdus | — | Académie française | 受賞 |
| 1998 | Prix comité français de l'UNESCO | — | — | UNESCO (French committee) | 受賞 |
| 1998 | UNICEF prize | La petite fille du réverbère | — | UNICEF | 受賞 |
Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire
1993
Work:
Maman a un amant
Organization:
Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire
Result:
受賞
Prix François Mauriac
1994
Work:
Assèze l'Africaine
Organization:
Académie française
Result:
受賞
Prix tropique
1994
Organization:
Unknown
Result:
受賞
Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française
1996
Work:
Les Honneurs perdus
Organization:
Académie française
Result:
受賞
Prix comité français de l'UNESCO
1998
Organization:
UNESCO (French committee)
Result:
受賞
UNICEF prize
1998
Work:
La petite fille du réverbère
Organization:
UNICEF
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française
1 appearances
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Edition 82 (1996) Winner
Works
Major Works
The Sun Hath Looked Upon Me
1987 NovelAn early novel about a young woman's coming of age, migration and family expectations, reflecting aspects of the author's background.
MigrationFemale autonomyFamily
Your Name Shall Be Tanga
1988 NovelFollows the protagonist Tanga and explores family relations and personal conflicts.
IdentityFamilySocial pressure
My Mother Has a Lover
1993 NovelA story dealing with family, female desire and morality; one of the author's noted works.
DesireFamily secretsWomen's social position
Assèze l'Africaine
1994 NovelTells the story of a woman of African origin, addressing cultural and social themes.
CultureMigration experienceWomen
Les Honneurs perdus
1996 NovelCenters on social honor and setback; recipient of the Académie française Grand Prix du roman.
HonorSocial classFall from grace
Bibliography
- C'est le soleil qui m'a brûlée (1987)
- Tu t'appelleras Tanga (1988)
- Seul le Diable le savait (1990)
- La négresse rousse (1991)
- Le petit prince de Belleville (1992)
- Maman a un amant (1993)
- Assèze l'Africaine (1994)
- Les Honneurs perdus (1996)
- La petite fille du réverbère (1998)
- Amours sauvages (1999)
- Lettre d'une Afro-française à ses compatriotes (2000)
- How to Cook Your Husband the African Way (2000)
- Les arbres en parlent encore… (2004)
- Femme nue, femme noire (2003)
- La plantation (2005)
- L'homme qui m'offrait le ciel (2007)
- Le Roman de Pauline (2009)
- Les Lions indomptables (2010)
- Le Christ selon l'Afrique (2014)
Translations of Works
- Le petit prince de Belleville → Loukoum: the 'little prince' of Belleville (English translation)
- C'est le soleil qui m'a brûlée → The Sun Hath Looked Upon Me (English translation)
- Tu t'appelleras Tanga → Your Name Shall Be Tanga (English translation)
- Comment cuisiner son mari à l'africaine → How to Cook Your Husband the African Way (English translation)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Writes in French with a contemporary novelistic styleDirect, emotional, often sharp depiction of social issuesMixes colloquial voice with descriptive narration
- Recurring Motifs
- Migration and belongingFemale agency and desireFamily and intergenerational narratives
Legacy
Calixthe Beyala is an internationally known Cameroonian-born writer who writes in French. She is recognized for works addressing migration, women and cultural identity and has received several French literary prizes.
Trivia
- Moved to Paris on a scholarship as a teenager.
- Has cited her grandmother's storytelling as an important influence.
- Published her first book at age 23.