Novelist and essayist.
He is one of the most profound and distinctive European writers. Rich and subtle in his language, his knowledge of classical antiquity has enabled him to build up a body of work of extraordinary richness and breadth. A musician and student of Levinas, Lyotard and Ricoeur in the philosophy faculty at Nanterre, he was a reader for the publisher Gallimard and later a member of its reading committee, before giving up this position to devote himself to writing and leading a reclusive life. Apart from his novels, such as Le salon du Wurtemberg, Les Escaliers de Chambord, Tous les matins du monde and the recent L’Amour, la Mer, his major work consists of the Dernier Royaume series, which includes Mourir de penser, La Barque silencieuse and Les Désarçonnés. He won the Goncourt prize in 1992 for Les Ombres errantes, the French Academy prize in 2000 and the Formentor prize in 2023.
