David Foenkinos, born 28 October 1974 in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

, is a French

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living writing novels and other fiction, while others aspire to ...

playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays. Etymology The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...

, screenwriter and director who studied both literature and music in Paris. His novel ''La délicatesse'' is a bestseller in France. A film based on the book was released in December 2011, with

Audrey Tautou Audrey Justine Tautou (; born 9 August 1976) is a French actress. She made her acting debut at the age of 18 on television and her feature film debut in ''Venus Beauty Institute'' (1999), for which she received critical acclaim and won the Césa ...

as the

main character A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...

. His novels have appeared in over forty languages,Frank Quilitzsch,
Lesung aus ‘Zum Glück Pauline’ in Anwesenheit des Autors
', Thüringische Landeszeitung, 13 September 2013. Accessed 15 July 2023. and in 2014 he was awarded the

Prix Renaudot The Prix Théophraste-Renaudot or Prix Renaudot () is a French literary award. History The prize was created in 1926 by ten art critics awaiting the results of deliberation of the jury of the Prix Goncourt. While not officially related to the ...

for his novel ''Charlotte''.

Biography

Early years

Growing up in a home with few books and often absent parents, David Foenkinos read and wrote little during his childhood. At 16, he required emergency surgery as a result of a rare pleural infection and spent several months recuperating in hospital, where he began to devour books, learning to paint and play the guitar. From this experience, he says, he kept a drive for life, a force that he wanted to convey through his books.Julien Bisson,
David Foenkinos: Un succès littéraire a toujours des conséquences un peu ridicules
' (“Literary success always has slightly ridiculous outcomes”), lexpress.fr, 1 April 2016. Accessed 15 July 2023.

Education and career

He studied literature at the

Sorbonne Sorbonne may refer to: * Sorbonne (building), historic building in Paris, which housed the University of Paris and is now shared among multiple universities. *the University of Paris (c. 1150 – 1970) *one of its components or linked institution, ...

and music in a jazz school, eventually becoming a guitar teacher. In the evenings, he was a waiter in a restaurant. After unsuccessfully trying to set up a music group, he turned his hand to writing.Astrid De Larmina,
Le Renaudot à Foenkinos, la consécration d'un phénomène
'' lefigaro.fr, 5 November 2014. Accessed 15 July 2023. After a handful of failed manuscripts, he found his style, and his first novel ''Inversion de l'idiotie: de l'influence de deux Polonais'' (“Inversion of idiocy: influenced by two Poles”), though refused by many other publishers, was published by Gallimard in 2002; the book earned him the François-Mauriac

literary prize A literary award or literary prize is an award presented in recognition of a particularly lauded Literature, literary piece or body of work. It is normally presented to an author. Organizations Most literary awards come with a corresponding award ...

, awarded by the

Académie Française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of secondary education, secondary or tertiary education, tertiary higher education, higher learning (and generally also research or honorary membershi ...

.Prix de l’Académie, 2002: David Foenkinos
Académie Française, 2002. Accessed 15 July 2023. David Foenkinos is the brother of director Stéphane Foenkinos.

Filmography

* 2011 : ''

Delicacy A delicacy is usually a rare and expensive food item that is considered highly desirable, sophisticated, or peculiarly distinctive within a given culture. Irrespective of local preferences, such a label is typically pervasive throughout a r ...

'' * 2017 : ''

Jalouse ''Jalouse'' is a 2017 French comedy film directed by David and Stéphane Foenkinos. Plot Almost overnight, Nathalie Pêcheux, a divorced French teacher, changes from a loving mother into a jealous monster. Her first target is her stunning 18-year ...

'' * 2018 : '' I Feel Better'' * 2019 : ''

The Mystery of Henri Pick ''The Mystery of Henri Pick'' (french: Le Mystère Henri Pick) is a 2019 French comedy film directed by Rémi Bezançon. Cast * Fabrice Luchini as Jean-Michel Rouche * Camille Cottin as Joséphine Pick * Alice Isaaz as Daphné Despero * Basti ...

'' * 2020 : ''

Fantasies Fantasy is a genre of fiction. Fantasy, Fantasie, or Fantasies may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * Fantasia (music), a free-form musical composition * ''Fantasie'' (Widmann), a 1993 composition for solo clarinet by Jörg Widmann * ...

Bibliography

* ''Inversion de l'idiotie : de l'influence de deux Polonais'' (2001) * ''Entre les oreilles'' (2002) * ''Erotic Potential of My Wife'' (''Le Potentiel érotique de ma femme'') (2004) * ''En cas de bonheur'' (2005) * ''Les Cœurs autonomes'' (2006) * ''Qui se souvient de David Foenkinos ?'' (2007) * ''Nos séparations'' (2008) * ''Delicacy'' (''La délicatesse'') (2009) * ''Bernard'' (2010) * ''Lennon'' (2010) * ''Les souvenirs'' (2011) * ''Le petit garçon qui disait toujours non'' (2011) * ''Je vais mieux'' (2012) * ''Charlotte'' (2014) * ''Le Mystère Henri Pick'' (2016) * ''Vers la beauté'' (2018) *''Deux sœurs'' (2019) * ''La famille Martin'' (2020) *''Numéro deux'' (2022)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Foenkinos, David Writers from Paris 1974 births Living people 21st-century French novelists French male screenwriters French screenwriters French male novelists Prix Renaudot winners Roger Nimier Prize winners Prix Goncourt des lycéens winners 21st-century French male writers 21st-century French screenwriters