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Edition 67 (2011) Winner
Léonora Miano
レオノラ・ミアノ
Leonora Miano
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1973-03-12 （Douala, Cameroon）
- Nationality
- Cameroonian
- Languages
- French
- Residence History
- Douala, Cameroon → France (Valenciennes, Nanterre)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Essayist
- Active Years
- 2005-
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paris Nanterre University | Faculty of Arts | Department of American Literature | — | 1991- | France |
Paris Nanterre University
Faculty of Arts
/ Department of American Literature
Period:
1991-
Country:
France
Moved to France in 1991 and studied American literature at Nanterre.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Prix Goncourt des Lycéens | Contours du jour qui vient | — | Prix Goncourt des Lycéens jury | 受賞 |
| 2006 | Prix Louis-Guilloux | L'Intérieur de la nuit | — | Prix Louis-Guilloux | 受賞 |
| 2006 | Montalembert Prize | — | — | Montalembert Prize | 受賞 |
| 2006 | Bernard Palissy Prize | — | — | Bernard Palissy Prize | 受賞 |
| 2006 | René Fallet Prize | — | — | René Fallet Prize | 受賞 |
| 2011 | Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire | — | — | Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire | 受賞 |
| 2012 | Prix Seligmann | — | — | Prix Seligmann | 受賞 |
| 2013 | Grand prix du roman métis | — | — | Grand prix du roman métis | 受賞 |
| 2013 | Prix Fémina | La Saison de l'ombre | — | Prix Fémina | 受賞 |
| — | Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres | — | — | French government | 受勲 |
Prix Goncourt des Lycéens
2006
Work:
Contours du jour qui vient
Organization:
Prix Goncourt des Lycéens jury
Result:
受賞
Prix Louis-Guilloux
2006
Work:
L'Intérieur de la nuit
Organization:
Prix Louis-Guilloux
Result:
受賞
Montalembert Prize
2006
Organization:
Montalembert Prize
Result:
受賞
Bernard Palissy Prize
2006
Organization:
Bernard Palissy Prize
Result:
受賞
René Fallet Prize
2006
Organization:
René Fallet Prize
Result:
受賞
Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire
2011
Organization:
Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire
Result:
受賞
Prix Seligmann
2012
Organization:
Prix Seligmann
Result:
受賞
Grand prix du roman métis
2013
Organization:
Grand prix du roman métis
Result:
受賞
Prix Fémina
2013
Work:
La Saison de l'ombre
Organization:
Prix Fémina
Result:
受賞
Officier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Organization:
French government
Result:
受勲
Awards & Nominations
Prix Femina
1 appearances
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Edition 110 (2013) Winner
Works
Major Works
L'Intérieur de la nuit
2005 NovelHer debut novel exploring memory, trauma and identity. It was well received by French critics and won several prizes.
memorytraumaidentity
Translations
- Dark Heart of the Night (translated by Tamsin Black)
Contours du jour qui vient
2006 NovelWinner of the Prix Goncourt des Lycéens; a novel examining personal histories and social forces.
familyhistoryidentity
Afropean Soul
2008 Short stories / EssaysA collection presenting the notion of 'afropéenne', addressing globalization and the Black diaspora.
diasporaafropéenneglobalization
La Saison de l'ombre
2013 NovelA novel recounting the beginnings of the slave trade; a parable of globalization and exploitation. Winner of the Prix Fémina.
slave tradeglobalizationexploitation
Translations
- Season of the Shadow (translated by Gila Walker)
Stardust
2022 NovelOne of her recent novels (2022); detailed information is limited.
Bibliography
- L'Intérieur de la nuit, 2005
- Contours du jour qui vient, 2006
- Afropean Soul, 2008
- Tels des astres éteints, 2008
- Soulfood équatoriale, 2009
- Les Aubes écarlates, 2009
- Blues pour Elise, 2010
- Ces âmes chagrines, 2011
- Écrits pour la parole, 2012
- Habiter la frontière, 2012
- La Saison de l'ombre, 2013
- Crépuscule du tourment, 2016
- L’impératif transgressif, 2016
- Crépuscule du tourment 2 Héritage, 2017
- Rouge impératrice, 2019
- Stardust, 2022
Adaptations
- Stage production 'Révélation' directed by Satoshi Miyagi, 2018
Translations of Works
- Dark Heart of the Night (translated by Tamsin Black), University of Nebraska Press, 2010
- Season of the Shadow (translated by Gila Walker), Seagull Books, 2018
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- jazzy prose with rhythmic patternsallegorical and metaphorical expressionemotionally driven narration
- Recurring Motifs
- memory and traumadiaspora and identitylegacy of slavery and colonialism
Legacy
Miano introduced the notion of 'afropéenne' and is highly regarded for her incisive treatment of diaspora and colonial memory in Francophone literature. She has received numerous literary prizes and is considered an important contemporary Francophone author.
Quotes
-
Miano's 'jazzy writing' is based on a popular and musical culture that integrates impromptu rhythms and rhapsodies.
Source: Daniel S. Larangé (critic) (2008)
Trivia
- Moved from Cameroon to France in 1991, living in Valenciennes and Nanterre.
- Publicly criticized the foreword added to the English translation of her debut novel.
- Edited the 2015 anthology 'Volcaniques: une anthologie du plaisir' featuring Black women writers.
- In 2018 Satoshi Miyagi directed a stage production based on part of her trilogy about the history of slavery.