Francophone Lebanese author Amin Maalouf has won Spain’s prestigious Prince of Asturias literature award, the Asturias foundation announced.
Maalouf, the 61-year-old author of Samarkand and The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, beat 26 other contenders that included Portugal’s Nobel-winning author Jose Saramago and much-lauded Canadian author Alice Munro. The prize is 50,000 euros.
Maalouf was a journalist in Lebanon in the early 1970s, working for An Nahar, and—who knows—might have become a great Arabic-language writer. But, soon after the civil war broke out, Maalouf moved to Paris with his family.
Maalouf is also a fascinating blogger, although his blog has been on hold this year, apparently because of the author’s health problems.
Many of Maalouf’s books (all but one or two) are available in English. Almost all of them have been translated into Arabic, as well. (Thanks to Gaelle for the link.)
All of Maalouf’s books (except the last one published in 2009, “Le dereglement du monde”) are available in Arabic. The best way to look at the titles is through this link:
http://jarirbooksusa.com/s1040-amin-maalouf.html
Thanks! I always try to look people up on GoodReads, for whatever reason. I would make a very poor librarian.
Have you read “Balthasar’s Journey”? It’s one of my favorites by Amin Maalouf.
I’ve seen Samarkand translated to Arabic at Diwan, but can’t remember who the publisher was.
I can’t remember which is my favorite; I’d have to open up my boxes and go through all my books in storage. But I can’t remember one I didn’t like….
Yay Maalouf!