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Edition 57 (2002) Winner
Patrice Nganang
パトリス・ンガナング
Patrice Nganang
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1970-01-01 （Yaoundé, Cameroon）
- Nationality
- American, Cameroonian
- Languages
- French, English
- Residence History
- Yaoundé, Cameroon → Germany (studies) → United States (residence, academic posts)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Poet, Professor, Scholar
- Active Years
- 1995-
- Affiliations
- Stony Brook University, Vassar College (visiting), Shippensburg University (former)
- Nominations
- Shortlisted for the Fonlon-Nichols Award (African Literature Association)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Yaounde | — | Literature | Master's | — | Cameroon |
| Johann Wolfgang Goethe University | — | Comparative Literature | Ph.D. | — | Germany |
University of Yaounde
Literature
Degree:
Master's
Year of Graduation:
1992
Country:
Cameroon
Earned a Master's degree in 1992
Johann Wolfgang Goethe University
Comparative Literature
Degree:
Ph.D.
Country:
Germany
Ph.D. in Comparative Literature (year unknown)
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Prix Littéraire Marguerite Yourcenar | Dog Days (Temps de chien) | — | — | 受賞 |
| 2002 | Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire | Dog Days (Temps de chien) | — | — | 受賞 |
Prix Littéraire Marguerite Yourcenar
2001
Work:
Dog Days (Temps de chien)
Result:
受賞
Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire
2002
Work:
Dog Days (Temps de chien)
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
La Promesse des fleurs
1997 NovelAn early novel exploring themes of memory and coming of age.
MemoryComing of age
Dog Days
1999 Novel (social satire)A novel that critiques social and political tensions in Cameroon, employing satire to address power, violence, and post-colonial conditions.
Post-colonialismViolenceIdentityCritique of power
Translations
- Dog Days (English translation, 2006)
La Joie de vivre
2003 NovelA novel offering insights into life and existence, depicting social circumstances and individual emotions.
Everyday lifeEmotionSociety
L'Invention du beau regard
2005 Criticism / EssayA collection of critical essays reflecting on vision and aesthetics.
AestheticsVisual culture
Dernières nouvelles du colonialisme
2006 EssayAn essay collection addressing colonialism and its contemporary effects.
ColonialismHistorical memory
Mount Pleasant
2011 NovelA novel about urban and suburban life and memory. Translated into English and published in 2016.
Urban lifeMemoryMigration
Translations
- Mount Pleasant (English translation, 2016)
When the Plums Are Ripe
2013 NovelA novel depicting family, time, and change. English translation published in 2019.
FamilyTimeChange
Translations
- When the Plums Are Ripe (English translation, 2019)
A Trail of Crab Tracks
2018 NovelA recent work dealing with movement, memory, and traces. English translation published in 2022.
MovementMemoryTraces
Translations
- A Trail of Crab Tracks (English translation, 2022)
Mboudjak: Les Aventures du Chien-Philosophe
2021 Children's literature / FableA children's work featuring a philosophical dog as the protagonist.
FablePhilosophyChildren
Bibliography
- La Promesse des fleurs (1997)
- Dog Days / Temps de chien (1999; English trans. 2006)
- La Joie de vivre (2003)
- L'Invention du beau regard (2005)
- Dernières nouvelles du colonialisme (2006)
- Mount Pleasant / Mont Plaisant (2011; English trans. 2016)
- When the Plums Are Ripe / La Saison des prunes (2013; English trans. 2019)
- A Trail of Crab Tracks / Empreintes de Crabe (2018; English trans. 2022)
- Mboudjak: Les Aventures du Chien-Philosophe (2021)
Translations of Works
- Temps de chien → Dog Days (English translation, 2006)
- Mont Plaisant → Mount Pleasant (English translation, 2016)
- La Saison des prunes → When the Plums Are Ripe (English translation, 2019)
- Empreintes de Crabe → A Trail of Crab Tracks (English translation, 2022)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Contemporary Francophone African literatureCritical, essayistic voiceSatirical expression
- Recurring Motifs
- Legacy of colonialismViolence and powerMigration and urban lifeMemory and traces
Legacy
Patrice Nganang is a significant contemporary writer in Francophone African literature, known for addressing post-colonial themes in novels and essays; he is also influential in comparative literature and Africana studies.
Academic Societies
- African Literature Association (related)
Quotes
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"I'm a minority myself in Cameroon, a Bamileke."
Source: The New York Times (interview) (2022)
Trivia
- Detained in Cameroon in 2017 and subsequently deported to the United States.
- Born in Yaoundé and of Bamileke origin.
- Has served as head of the Department of Africana Studies at Stony Brook University.