France: Algerian Kamel Daoud wins hands down the most prestigious literary prize, the Goncourt

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We clearly felt this during his appearance on Léa Salamé's show, on France 2, on October 5. The Algerian writer exiled in France had captivated the audience – especially the famous actress Béatrice Dalle – with the powerful story of his childhood, the lessons of his mother, the terrible lessons of the dark decade in Algeria, etc. Kamel Daoud was on set to present his book “Hourris” (Editions Gallimard) and something in the eyes of the guests already told us that he was the arch favorite for the most prestigious French-speaking literary prize, the Goncourt, that was not missed…

The Algerian was crowned this Monday, November 4, and even better: he crushed the competition by passing in the first round, with 6 votes. For there was something heavy in front: Sandrine Collette and Hélène Gaudy but especially Gaël Faye. It will be Daoud, hands down. He succeeds Jean-Baptiste Andrea, Goncourt 2023 for his novel “Watch over her“.

Gaël Faye will have to settle for the Renaudot Prize (the 2nd most coveted literary prize) for his second novel “Jacaranda“, dedicated to the reconstruction of Rwanda after the 1994 genocide.

The coronation of the Franco-Algerian writer was the subject of no doubt in the literary microcosm, where everything is known and said; “Le Figaro” had been saying for several days that the matter was over. Marceline Bodier, blogger, wrote about this already cult novel that it wonderfully recounts the “injuries» recent Algeria (the wounds of the civil war, from 1992 to 2002), which he repaired «the slap in the face of amnesty laws which allowed the executioners to live with impunity among their 200,000 victims».

The book, which had already won the 2024 Landerneau Readers' Prize and the Transfuge Prize for best French novel, was also in the selections for the Interallié Prize and the Grand Prix du roman of the Académie française, plus the final of the Renaudot Prize.

The Goncourt Prize is the Holy Grail in France, its check for 10 euros (symbolic) leads to sales of hundreds of thousands of copies. A stepping stone towards assured success which makes all the novelists of France, Navarre and elsewhere dream…

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Algerian writer, Franco-Algerian writer, France, Gaël Faye, Goncourt 2024, Hélène Gaudy, Jean-Baptiste Andrea, Kamel Daoud, Léa Salamé, Goncourt Prize, Literary Prizes, Renaudot Prize, Sandrine Collette