A young Senegalese writer unknown to the public was on Wednesday awarded the Prix Goncourt, France’s leading literature prize, for a novel exploring the destiny of a cursed African author.
Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, 31, is the first sub-Saharan African to win the literary award.
“I feel so much joy,” he said at the upscale Parisian restaurant where the prizes are traditionally announced.
Photo: AFP
“I haven’t yet found the words to say,” he added.
The winning novel, titled The Most Secret Memory of Men (La plus secrete memoire des homes), is his fifth, and lauded for its mysterious characters, quality of style and writing.
“With this young author, we have returned to the fundamentals of the Goncourt will,” Goncourt secretary Philippe Claudel said, noting that at 31, more works could be expected from Mbougar Sarr.
Senegalese President Macky Sall wrote on Twitter that he “warmly congratulates” the writer.
“I am proud of this magnificent accolade which illustrates the tradition of excellence of Senegalese men and women of letters,” he added.
Former Senegalese prime minister Abdoul Mbaye wrote on Twitter that “this event will mark the history of our country... What pride it brings to our people.”
Musician Youssou Ndour, a former Senegalese minister of culture, added his congratulations on Twitter.
“So pleasing and so beautiful to see someone who excels in his domain,” he wrote. “Bravo Mbougar Sarr and thank you for having flown the flag so high.”
Unassuming and softspoken, Mbougar Sarr is the son of a Senegalese doctor, and was an avid reader and excellent student growing up.
Goncourt president Didier Decoin said that he read Mbougar Sarr’s work in one sitting, calling it “a very fine book” and “a hymn to literature.”
The jury only needed one round of voting to crown Mbougar Sarr.
Senegalese news agency APS reported that the book tells the story of a young Senegalese writer, Diegane Latyr Faye, who discovers a mythical book in Paris titled The Labyrinth of the Inhuman, supposedly published in 1938.
“Diegane is a former student of a military high school in Senegal and a literature student in Paris, which is not far off the author’s background,” APS added.
The Prix Goncourt is decided by a jury of seven men and three women, and the laureates win just 10 euros (US$11.55) in prize money.
However, winning the award guarantees the sale of hundreds of thousands of books. In the Senegalese capital, Dakar, booksellers were reporting that their stocks of the book had sold out.
“The stocks were exhausted in our four bookshops” said a manager of the Aux Quatres Vents chain of bookshops in Dakar, just hours after news of Sarr’s win had been announced.
Last year’s winner, Herve Le Tellier’s fantasy sci-fi thriller L’Anomalie, has sold more than 1 million copies.
Also on Wednesday, Belgian Amelie Nothomb won the Prix Renaudot with her novel First Blood (Premier sang) relating invented memories of her father who died last year.
“I really want to say: ‘Dad, we have the prize,’” Nothomb said after winning.
The Prix Renaudot, seen as complementary to the Goncourt, is announced at the same time and place.
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