Alain Mabanckou

French-Congolese novelist, poet and academic · Republic of the Congo · On the map · Writers · Born 1966 · age 60

Alain Mabanckou is a novelist, journalist, poet, and academic, a French citizen born in the Republic of the Congo, he is currently a Professor of Literature at UCLA.

Alain Mabanckou is read about 89 times a day, in 30 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 13 November 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 116 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

2016Paul-Bourdarie prizeAward2015“I’m nothing, I’m everything,’ he declared. ‘The street is my mother. The sun is my father. What more should I ask of life?”In their wordsBlack Moses (Petit Piment) (2015)Read the whole statement

“The sweetness of honey does not soothe the bee sting.”In their wordsBlack Moses (Petit Piment) (2015)Read the whole statement

“A fly’s not a bird just because it can fly.”In their wordsBlack Moses (Petit Piment) (2015)Read the whole statement

“I want to cry now, not later! I want to be the first because if I cry after the others how will we know that I cried too?”In their wordsBlack Moses (Petit Piment) (2015)Read the whole statement

2013Prince Pierre AwardAward2012Grand Prix de Littérature Henri GalAward2010Georges Brassens PrizeAward2009“Listen up, my boy, be realistic!”In their wordspp. 13Read the whole statement

“A white guy who learns how to play tom-tom, it’s normal, it’s chic, it says”In their wordsBlack Bazar (2009)Read the whole statement

2006Prix RenaudotAward2005Prix des cinq continents de la francophonieAwardPrix Ouest France - Étonnants VoyageursAwardPrix RFO du livreAward1966Born24 February 1966

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Media & music

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In their own words 4

Alain Mabanckou

4 statements, newest first

Singing in the old-fashioned language of this good-hearted man, who sold us Hope at the lowest possible price
2015 · Black Moses (Petit Piment) (2015), Own words
When the white people came to Africa, we had the land and they had the Bible.
2015 · Black Moses (Petit Piment) (2015), Own words
He says that the African man was the first man on Earth and that the other races only came after. Therefore, all men are immigrants except African people who are right at home.
2009 · Black Bazar (2009), Own words

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Awards

Paul-Bourdarie prize2016

Prince Pierre Award2013

Grand Prix de Littérature Henri Gal2012

Georges Brassens Prize2010

Prix Renaudot2006

Prix RFO du livre2005

Prix des cinq continents de la francophonie2005

Prix Ouest France - Étonnants Voyageurs2005

Knight of the Legion of Honour

Officer of Arts and Letters

About this person

He is best known for his novels and non-fiction writing depicting the experience of contemporary Africa and the African diaspora in France, including Broken Glass (2005) and the Prix Renaudot-winning Memoirs of a Porcupine (2006). He is among the best known and most successful writers in the French language, and one of the best known African writers in France. In some circles in Paris he is known as "the Samuel Beckett of Africa".

Country

Republic of the Congo