Biography of Albert COSSERY

Egypt > Literature : Albert COSSERY



Born on 03/11/1913 (format : day/month/year)

Biography :

Albert Cossery ( November 3,1913 -  June 22, 2008) , was a French writer of Egyptian origin.

He died on 22 June 2008 in the same room that he had occupied at the "La Louisiane Hotel" where he had been liivng since 1945.

At the time of his birth, the elite of Cairo spoke french and Albert was educated with a wide insight into the classics of french literature. He discovered Paris at the age of 17. His first novels appeared, in fench, in Cairo, as of 1936.They were later re-united and published in a volume entitled "Les Hommes oubliés de Dieu".

Coming to Paris after the end of the second world war, he became part of the French scene on the left bank, mixing with people such as Albert Camus, Jean Genet, Juliette Gréco, Giacometti, Boris Vian and Mouloudji.

He has continued to write with books such as -1947 "La Maison de la mort certaine" , "Les fainéants dans la vallée fertile" (1948),  "Mendiants et orgueilleux" (1955),  "La Violence et la dérision" (1964), "Uncomplot de saltimbanques" (1975), "Une ambition dans le désert" (1984).

After "Les Couleurs de l'infamie" (1999 andprix Méditerranée 2000), Albert Cossery declared that he no longer wished to continue writing. With throat cancer from 1998 he was obliged to reply to questions by journalists using a pen and a note book.

 

 

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