About
Michel Houellebecq, born Michel Thomas on February 26, 1956, in Saint-Pierre, Réunion, is a French writer. Trained as an agricultural engineer, he turned to writing after studying film. His first novel, Extension du domaine de la lutte (1994), brought him recognition. He gained international fame with Les Particules élémentaires (1998), which won the Prix Novembre. His work, translated into more than 30 languages, depicts with provocative pessimism the affective and spiritual desolation of contemporary Western societies. He received the Prix Goncourt for La Carte et le Territoire (2010) and the Prix de la BnF in 2015 for his entire body of work. He is also a poet, essayist, photographer, filmmaker, and musician.
* 1956-02-26
Major works
- Extension du domaine de la lutte (1994)novel
- Les Particules élémentaires (1998)novel
- Plateforme (2001)novel
- La Possibilité d'une île (2005)novel
- La Carte et le Territoire (2010)novel
Key milestones
- 1998Publication of Les Particules élémentaires, which won the Prix Novembre and sold over 500,000 copies.
- 2010Awarded the Prix Goncourt for La Carte et le Territoire.
- 2015Awarded the Prix de la BnF for his complete body of work.
Themes
Affective and sexual desolationCritique of consumer societyMisanthropy and pessimismSpirituality and religionTechnology and science
Sources: bnf.fr · id.loc.gov · britannica.com