About
Michel Tournier, born in Paris in 1924, is a major French writer of the 20th century. After studying philosophy at the Sorbonne and in Tübingen, he worked as a journalist and editor before publishing his first novel, Friday, or, The Other Island, in 1967. This retelling of Robinson Crusoe won the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française. In 1970, his novel The Erl-King received the Prix Goncourt unanimously. A member of the Académie Goncourt from 1972 to 2009, he also co-founded the Rencontres d'Arles. His work, marked by mythology and philosophy, explores themes of identity, difference, and the sacred. He died in 2016 in Choisel.
* 1924-12-19 — † 2016-01-18
Major works
- Vendredi ou les Limbes du Pacifique (1967)novel
- Le Roi des aulnes (1970)novel
- Les Météores (1975)novel
- Gaspard, Melchior et Balthazar (1980)novel
- La Goutte d'or (1985)novel
Key milestones
- 1967Wins the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française for Friday, or, The Other Island.
- 1970Awarded the Prix Goncourt unanimously for The Erl-King.
- 1972Elected to the Académie Goncourt.
Themes
MythologyIdentityDifferenceSacredRewriting of classic tales
Sources: britannica.com · oxfordreference.com · thebookerprizes.com