About
Louis-Ferdinand Céline, born Louis Ferdinand Auguste Destouches, was a French writer and physician. He volunteered for military service in 1913 and was seriously wounded in 1914. After earning his medical degree in 1924, he worked for the League of Nations. His first novel, Journey to the End of the Night (1932), won the Prix Renaudot. He authored virulent anti-Semitic pamphlets (1937-1941), leading to his conviction for collaboration after World War II. Exiled in Denmark, he was amnestied in 1951. His innovative style, blending ellipsis and colloquial language, influenced many writers.
* 1894-05-27 — † 1961-07-01
Major works
- Voyage au bout de la nuit (1932)novel
- Mort à crédit (1936)novel
- Guignol's Band (1944)novel
- D'un château l'autre (1957)novel
- Nord (1960)novel
Key milestones
- 1932Wins the Prix Renaudot for Journey to the End of the Night.
- 1945Sentenced in absentia for collaboration, goes into exile in Denmark.
- 1951Amnestied by a French military tribunal.
Themes
Misery and the human conditionWar and violenceMedicine and illnessLanguage and styleExile and marginality
Sources: britannica.com · data.bnf.fr · oxfordreference.com