Agnès Desarthe ( Naouri; born 3 May 1966) is a French novelist, children's writer and translator.

Biography

Desarthe was born on 3 May 1966 in Paris. She is the daughter of the pediatrician and writer Aldo Naouri. She is married to filmmaker , son of actor . They have four children. Her brother is the opera singer Laurent Naouri. She studied English literature. She started her career as a translator. In 1992, she published her first novel. She became a prolific writer of children's books. In 1996 she was awarded the Prix du Livre Inter for her second novel ''Un secret sans importance''. Her most successful novel, ''Chez Moi'' (), has been translated into over 15 languages. One of her more recent novels, ''Dans la nuit brune'', received the Prix Renaudot des lycéens in 2010. Her novels are published in France by Éditions de l'Olivier and in the UK by Portobello Books.

Awards and honours

* 1996: Prix du Livre Inter for ''Un secret sans importance'' * 2007: Prix Maurice-Edgar Coindreau for ''Les papiers de Puttermesser'' (translation of ''The Puttermesser Papers'' by

Cynthia Ozick Cynthia Ozick (born April 17, 1928) is an American short story writer, novelist, and essayist. Biography Cynthia Ozick was born in New York City. The second of two children, Ozick was raised in the Bronx by her parents, Celia (née Regelson) and ...

) * 2007: Prix Laure Bataillon for ''Les papiers de Puttermesser'' (translation of ''The Puttermesser Papers'' by

) * 2009: Prix Marcel Pagnol for ''Le Remplaçant'' * 2009: Prix du roman Version Femina - Virgin Megastore for ''Le Remplaçant'' * 2010: Prix Renaudot des lycéens for ''Dans la nuit brune'' * 2012: Prix littéraire 30 millions d'amis ( Goncourt des animaux) for ''Une partie de chasse'' * 2014: Prix Anna-de-Noailles of the

Académie Française An academy (Attic Greek: Ἀκαδήμεια; Koine Greek Ἀκαδημία) is an institution of tertiary education. The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 386 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the go ...

for ''Comment j'ai appris à lire'' * 2015: Prix littéraire du ''Monde'' for ''Ce cœur changeant'' * 2015:

Chevalier of the Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

Nominations

* 2002:

Independent Foreign Fiction Prize The ''Independent'' Foreign Fiction Prize (1990–2015) was a British literary award. It was inaugurated by British newspaper ''The Independent'' to honour contemporary fiction in translation in the United Kingdom. The award was first launched i ...

shortlist for ''Five Photos of My Wife'' * 2002: Jewish Quarterly-Wingate Prize shortlist for ''Five Photos of My Wife'' * 2003:

International Dublin Literary Award The International Dublin Literary Award (), established as the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 1996, is presented each year for a novel written or translated into English. It promotes excellence in world literature and is solely ...

longlist for ''Five Photos of My Wife'' * 2021:

Prix Goncourt The Prix Goncourt ( , "The Goncourt Prize") is a prize in French literature, given by the académie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year". The prize carries a symbolic reward of only 10 euros, but resul ...

second selection for ''L'éternel fiancé''

Bibliography

Novels

* ''Quelques minutes de bonheur absolu''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 1993 * ''Un secret sans importance''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 1996 * ''Cinq photos de ma femme''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 1998 ** * ''Les bonnes intentions''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2000 ** * ''Le principe de Frédelle''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2003 * ''Mangez-moi''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2006 ** * ''Le Remplaçant''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2009 * ''Dans la nuit brune''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2010 ** * ''Une partie de chasse''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2012 ** * ''Ce cœur changeant''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2015 * ''La Chance de leur vie''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2018 * ''L'éternel fiancé''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2021 * ''Le Château des Rentiers''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2023

Children's novels

* ''Je ne t'aime pas, Paulus''. L'École des loisirs. 1992 * ''Abo, le minable homme des neiges''.illustrations by Claude Boujon. L'École des loisirs. 1992 * ''Les Peurs de Conception''. L'École des loisirs. 1992 * ''La Fête des pères''. L'École des loisirs. 1992 * ''Le Mariage de Simon''. illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 1992 * ''Le Roi Ferdinand''. L'École des loisirs. 1992 * ''Dur de dur''. L'École des loisirs. 1993 * ''La Femme du bouc émissaire''. illustrations by Willi Glasauer. L'École des loisirs. 1993 * ''Benjamin, héros solitaire''. L'École des loisirs. 1994 * ''Tout ce qu'on ne dit pas''. L'École des loisirs. 1995 * ''Poète maudit''. L'École des loisirs. 1995 * ''L'Expédition''. illustrations by Willi Glasauer. L'École des loisirs. 1995 * ''Je manque d'assurance''. L'École des loisirs. 1997 * ''Les pieds de Philomène''. illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 1997 * ''Les grandes questions''. L'École des loisirs. 1999 * ''Les trois vœux de l'archiduchesse''. illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 2000 * ''Petit prince Pouf''. illustrations by Claude Ponti. L'École des loisirs. 2002 * ''Le monde d'à-côté''. L'École des loisirs. 2002 * ''À deux c'est mieux''. L'École des loisirs. 2004 * ''Comment j'ai changé ma vie''. L'École des loisirs. 2004 * ''Igor le labrador''. illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 2004 * ''C'est qui le plus beau ?''. illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 2005 * ''Je ne t'aime toujours pas, Paulus''. L'École des loisirs. 2005 * ''Les frères chats''. illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 2005 * ''La Cinquième saison''. L'École des loisirs. 2006 * ''Je veux être un cheval''. illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 2006 * ''L'histoire des Carnets de Lineke''. L'École de Loisirs. 2007 * ''La plus belle fille du monde''. L'École de Loisirs. 2009 * ''Mission impossible''. illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 2009 * ''Dingo et le sens de la vie''. illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 2012 * ''Le Poulet fermier''. illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 2013 * ''Mes animaux'' (anthology). illustrations by Anaïs Vaugelade. L'École des loisirs. 2014

Short fiction

* *

Plays

* ''Les Chevaliers'' * ''Le Kit''

Nonfiction

* ''V.W. Le mélange des genres''. co-written with Geneviève Brisac. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2004; book about

Virginia Woolf Adeline Virginia Woolf (; ; 25 January 1882 28 March 1941) was an English writer and one of the most influential 20th-century modernist authors. She helped to pioneer the use of stream of consciousness narration as a literary device. Vir ...

* ''Lois Lowry''. L'École des loisirs. 2011; children's book about

Lois Lowry Lois Ann Lowry (; née Hammersberg; born March 20, 1937) is an American writer. She is the author of many books for children and young adults, including '' The Giver Quartet'', '' Number the Stars'', the Anastasia series, and '' Rabble Starkey''. ...

* ''Comment j'ai appris à lire''. Éditions Stock. 2013 * ''Le roi René''. Éditions Odile Jacob. 2016; biography of René Urtreger * ''Maurice Sendak''. co-written with Béatrice Michielsen and Bernard Noël. L'École des loisirs. 2016; children's book about

Maurice Sendak Maurice Bernard Sendak (; June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. Born to Polish-Jewish parents, his childhood was impacted by the death of many of his family members during the Holocaust. Send ...

Prefaces

. ''Journal intégral, 1915-1941''. collection La Cosmopolite. Éditions Stock. 2008; translated by Marie-Ange Dutartre and Colette-Marie Huet

Translations

Aimee Bender Aimee Bender (born June 28, 1969) is an American novelist and short story writer, known for her surreal stories and characters. She is a 2011 recipient of the Alex Awards. Biography Born to a American Jews, Jewish family, Bender received her un ...

: ''L'ombre de moi-même''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2001 * Aimee Bender: ''Des créatures obstinées''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2007 * Alice Thomas Ellis: ''Les habits neufs de Margaret''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 1993 * Alice Thomas Ellis: ''Les ivresses de Madame Monro''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 1993 * Alice Thomas Ellis: ''Les égarements de Lili''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 1994 * Alice Thomas Ellis: ''Les oiseaux du ciel''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 1995 * Anne Fine: ''Le jeu des sept familles''. L'École des loisirs. 1995 * Anne Fine: ''Comment écrire comme un cochon''. L'École des loisirs. 1997 * Anne Fine: ''Billy le transi''. L'École des loisirs. 2006 * Jean Fritz: ''La longue marche: Les 9000 kilomètres qui ont amené Mao au pouvoir. L'École des loisirs. 1990 * Mary Downing Hahn: ''La saison des méduses''. L'École des loisirs. 1996 *

Polly Horvath Polly Horvath (born January 30, 1957 in Kalamazoo, Michigan) is an American-Canadian author of novels for children and young adults. She won the 2003 U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature for '' The Canning Season'', published by ...

: ''Une fille intrépide''. L'École des loisirs. 2010 * M.E. Kerr: ''Est-ce bien vous, Miss Blue ?''. L'École des loisirs. 1990 *

Tony Kushner Anthony Robert Kushner (born July 16, 1956) is an American author, playwright, and screenwriter. Among his stage work, he is most known for ''Angels in America'', which earned a Pulitzer Prize and a Tony Award, as well as its subsequent acclaime ...

: ''Brundibar''. illustrations by

. L'École des loisirs. 2005 * Elena Lappin: ''La marche nuptiale''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2000 * Elena Lappin: ''Le nez''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2002 * Gail Carson Levine: ''Belle comme le jour''. L'École des loisirs. 2008 * Leo Lionni: ''Monsieur MacSouris''. L'École des loisirs. 1993 *

: ''Anastasia, demande à ton psy !''. L'École des loisirs. 1990 * Lois Lowry: ''Compte les étoiles''. L'École des loisirs. 1990 * Lois Lowry: ''Anastasia, à votre service''. L'École des loisirs. 1991 * Lois Lowry: ''La centième chose que j'aime chez toi, Caroline''. L'École des loisirs. 1991 * Lois Lowry: ''Le passeur''. L'École des loisirs. 1994 * Lois Lowry: ''Anastasia Krupnick''. L'École des loisirs. 1996 * Lois Lowry: ''C'est encore Anastasia''. L'École des loisirs. 1997 * Lois Lowry: ''Anastasia connaît la réponse''. L'École des loisirs. 1999 * Lois Lowry: ''Toute la vérité sur Sam''. L'École des loisirs. 1999 * Lois Lowry: ''Anastasia avec conviction''. L'École des loisirs. 2002 * Lois Lowry: ''Le nom de code d'Anastasia''. L'École des loisirs. 2004 * Lois Lowry: ''Messager''. L'École des loisirs. 2004 * Lois Lowry: ''Une carrière de rêve pour Anastasia ''. L'École des loisirs. 2005 * Lois Lowry: ''Le bal d'anniversaire''. L'École des loisirs. 2011 *

Betty MacDonald Betty MacDonald (born Anne Elizabeth Campbell Bard; March 26, 1907 – February 7, 1958) was an American author who specialized in humorous autobiographical tales, and is best known for her book ''The Egg and I''. She also wrote the '' Mrs. Piggl ...

: ''Madame Bigote-Gigote''. L'École des loisirs. 1991 * Betty MacDonald: ''Madame Bigote-Gigote a plus d'un tour dans son sac''. L'École des loisirs. 1991 * Patricia MacLachlan: ''Nous sommes tous sa famille''. L'École des loisirs. 1994 * James Marshall: ''Pieds de cochons''. illustrations by Maurice Sendak. L'École des loisirs. 2001 *

Jay McInerney John Barrett "Jay" McInerney Jr. (; born January 13, 1955) is an American novelist, screenwriter, editor, and columnist. His novels include '' Bright Lights, Big City'', ''Ransom'', '' Story of My Life'', '' Brightness Falls'', and ''The Last o ...

: ''La belle vie''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2007 * Jay McInerney: ''Moi tout craché''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2009 *

Alice Munro Alice Ann Munro ( ; ; 10 July 1931 – 13 May 2024) was a Canadian short story writer who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013. Her work tends to move forward and backward in time, with integrated short story cycles. Munro's ...

: ''Un peu, beaucoup, passionnément, à la folie, pas du tout''. Éditions Points. 2019 *

Anaïs Nin Angela Anaïs Juana Antolina Rosa Edelmira Nin y Culmell ( ; ; February 21, 1903 – January 14, 1977) was a French-born American diarist, essayist, novelist, and writer of short stories and erotica. Born to Cuban parents in France, Nin was the d ...

: ''L'intemporalité perdue et autres nouvelles''. NiL. 2020 *

: ''Les papiers de Puttermesser''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2007 * Cynthia Ozick: ''Corps étrangers''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2012 * Louise Plummer: ''Je m'appelle Susan''. L'École des loisirs. 1993 *

Chaim Potok Chaim Potok (February 17, 1929 – July 23, 2002) was an American author, novelist, playwright, editor and rabbi. Of the more than a dozen novels he authored, his first book '' The Chosen'' (1967) was listed on ''The New York Times'' Best ...

: ''L'arbre du ciel''. L'École des loisirs. 2000 * Chaim Potok: ''Le Roi du ciel''. L'École des loisirs. 2001 * Peggy Rathmann: ''À quatre pattes les bébés sont partis''. L'École des loisirs. 2005 * Peggy Rathmann: ''L'agent Boucle et Gloria''. L'École des loisirs. 2005 *

Emma Richler Emma Richler (born 1961) is a British/Canadian writer. Biography Born in London, England, she is the daughter of author Mordecai Richler."And Emma makes five: Sister Crazy joins 'an embarrassment of Richlers'". ''Ottawa Citizen'', 6 May 2001. S ...

: ''Sœur folie''. Éditions de l'Olivier. 2004 *

Louis Sachar Louis Sachar ( ; born March 20, 1954) is an American young-adult mystery-comedy author. He is best known for the ''Wayside School (book series), Wayside School'' series and the novel ''Holes (novel), Holes''. ''Holes'' won the 1998 U.S. Nationa ...

: ''Pas à pas''. L'École des loisirs. 2006 * Philippe Sands: ''La Dernière Colonie''.

Éditions Albin Michel Éditions Albin Michel is a French publisher. In January 2019, the new President and CEO is Gilles Haéri. In January 2022, the director is Anna Pavlowitch, the daughter of Paul Pavlowitch. History It was founded in 1900 by Albin Michel. They ...

. 2022. * Allen Say: ''Allison''. L'École des loisirs. 1998 * Allen Say: ''Le bonhomme Kamashibai''. L'École des loisirs. 2006 * Ann Herbert Scott: ''Sur les genoux de maman''. L'École des loisirs. 1993 *

: ''Mini-bibliothèque''. L'École des loisirs. 2010 * Peter Spier: ''Cirque Mariano''. L'École des loisirs. 1992. *

Chris Van Allsburg Chris Van Allsburg (born June 18, 1949) is an American writer and illustrator of children's books. He has won two Caldecott Medals for U.S. picture book illustration, for ''Jumanji'' (1981) and '' The Polar Express'' (1985), both of which he al ...

: ''Le balai magique''. L'École des loisirs. 1993 * Ellen Weiss: ''Le Pôle-Express : Un voyage au pays du Père Noël''. L'École des loisirs. 2004 *

: ''La maison de Carlyle et autres esquisses''.

Mercure de France The () was originally a French gazette and literary magazine first published in the 17th century, but after several incarnations has evolved as a publisher, and is now part of the Éditions Gallimard publishing group. The gazette was publis ...

. 2004

References

External links

Agnès Desarthe :: Écrivain
Desarthe's own website with bio and bibliography
Agnès Desarthe Portobello Books
Her UK publisher's authors page

Interview by Tim Martin in ''The Telegraph'' about her new novel ''The Foundling''
The Foundling by Agnès Desarthe, translated by Adriana Hunter
A review by Alfred Hickling in ''The Guardian''
Unnamed Press , Hunting Party
''Hunting Party'' US publisher's page {{DEFAULTSORT:Desarthe, Agnes 1966 births Living people 20th-century French non-fiction writers 21st-century French non-fiction writers French women novelists French feminist writers French children's writers French women children's writers Writers from Paris 20th-century French women writers 21st-century French women writers Prix du Livre Inter winners English–French translators Knights of the Legion of Honour Prix Renaudot des lycéens winners