Samia Benameur (born 1950), better known by her pseudonym, Maïssa Bey, is an Algerian educator and writer.
Life
She was born in Ksar Boukhari and teaches French in Sidi-Bel-Abbès in western Algeria. In 1996, she published her first novel ''Au commencement était la mer''. Her story collection ''Nouvelles d'Algérie'' was published in 1998 and received the Grand Prix de la nouvelle of the
Société des gens de lettres
The Société des gens de lettres de France (SGDLF; ; ) is a writers' association founded in 1838 by the notable French authors George Sand, Honoré de Balzac, Victor Hugo, and Alexandre Dumas.
It is a private association recognised in France as ...
. Her 2001 novel ''Cette fille-là'' was awarded the Prix Marguerite Audoux. In 2005, she received the Grand Prix des libraires algériens for her work to date.
She was a co-founder of the Chèvre-feuille étoilée publishing house. In 2000, she helped establish Paroles et écriture, a cultural association of Algerian women.
Selected works
Source:
* ''Au commencement était la mer'', novel (1996)
* ''Nouvelles d'Algérie'', stories (1998)
* ''Cette fille-là'', novel (2001)
* ''Entendez-vous dans les montagnes'', novel (2002); English translation, ''Do You Hear in the Mountains'' (2018)
* ''Surtout ne te retourne pas'', novel (2005); English translation, ''Above All, Don't Look Back'' (2009)
* ''Sous le jasmin la nuit'', stories (2004)
* ''Bleu, blanc, vert'', novel (2006), received the
Cezam Prix Littéraire Inter CE
The Prix Roman Cezam is a literary prize which was established in France in 1997. Its judging panel of more than 3600 readers who meet in groups to discuss, critique and individually rate the books, makes it one of the largest adjudicated readers ...
* ''Pierre, Sang, Papier ou Cendre'', novel (2008), received the Grand Prix du roman francophone SILA
* ''L'une et l'autre'', autobiography (2009)
* ''Puisque mon cœur est mort'', novel (2009)