Boualem Sansal

Algerian and French writer · France · On the map · Writers · Born 1944 · age 82

Boualem Sansal is a French-Algerian author who writes in French. He holds an engineering degree from the National Polytechnic School and a PhD in economics. Sansal has worked as a teacher, consultant, business leader, and senior official in Algeria’s Ministry of Industry.

Boualem Sansal is read about 448 times a day, in 32 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 400 days, one point a day.

Something wrong?

Compare Claim

A life in dates

2025Prix mondial Cino Del DucaAwardRenaudot du livre de poche PrizeAward2015Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie françaiseAward2013Grand prix de la francophonieAwardHonorary Doctorate at École Normale Supérieure de LyonAwardJean-Zay AwardAward2012Prix du roman arabeAward2011Peace Prize of the German Publishers' and Booksellers' AssociationAward2008Grand prix RTL-LireAwardLouis Guilloux PrizeAward2007Édouard Glissant PrizeAward2001Michel Dard PrizeAward1999Prix du Premier RomanAwardPrix TropiquesAward1944Born15 October 1944

People around Boualem

Family

Boualem Sansal

Children

Is this everyone?

Only relatives with a profile here are drawn, so a family can be larger than this. A line here can also be wrong.

Correct this family

Also in Deutsch Français

Media & music

Photos 2

Support for Boualem Sansal in Paris (June 2025)

In their own words 10

Boualem Sansal

10 statements, newest first

The only freedom we have left is to choose whose orders to follow.
, Own words
The fact is, defenders of freedom almost always end up in the dock, and the censors are justified in their ways. It is a vicious circle.
, Own words
The struggle for freedom requires, first and foremost, a practical commitment.
, Own words

Wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0

Awards

Prix mondial Cino Del Duca2025

Renaudot du livre de poche Prize2025

Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française2015

Grand prix de la francophonie2013

Honorary Doctorate at École Normale Supérieure de Lyon2013

Jean-Zay Award2013

Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres2012

Prix du roman arabe2012

Peace Prize of the German Publishers' and Booksellers' Association2011

Grand prix RTL-Lire2008

Louis Guilloux Prize2008

Édouard Glissant Prize2007

Michel Dard Prize2001

Prix du Premier Roman1999

Prix Tropiques1999

About this person

After retiring from his high-ranking government position, he began writing novels at the age of 50. He is known for his outspoken criticism of Islamism.

Country

France