AUTHOR PROFILE: ALAIN MABANCKOU
Alain Mabanckou is francophone Africa’s best-loved writer. Born in 1966 in Congo, he is an award-winning novelist, poet and essayist published in 15 languages. His books include African Psycho, Broken Glass, Memoirs of a Porcupine, Black Bazaar, and Tomorrow I’ll Be Twenty.
He currently spends his time between Paris, Congo and Los Angeles, where he teaches literature at UCLA. Winner of prestigious prizes such as the Grand Prix de la Literature Henri Gal for his body of work in 2012 and the Prix Renaudot in 2006 for Memoirs of a Porcupine, he was a finalist for the 2015 Man Booker International Prize. His latest book Lumières de Pointe-Noire was translated into English and published by Serpent's Tail in 2015.
Mabanckou is taking part in two of the Edinburgh Book Festival events so if you're the area don't hesistate to get your tickets! Mabanckou will be with Etgar Keret talking about International Memoires on Tuesday the 18th, tickets here. He will then be at the Institut français Écosse with Gustave Akakpo talking about Francophone African Literature hosted by our very own Lucie Campos. Tickets are on sale here.
For more info about Mabanckou visit his publisher's website here.