Albert Cossery
Albert Cossery (born 1913) is a French writer of Egyptian origin, born in Cairo.
At the age of 17, inspired by reading Honoré de Balzac, he emigrated to Paris, where he still lives.
In 60 years he only wrote eight novels, in accordance with his philosophy of life in which "laziness" is not a vice but a form of contemplation and meditation.As he quotes:"So many beauty in the world, so few eyes to see it." At the age of 27 he published his fist book, "Les hommes obliés de Dieu" ("Men God forgot"). During is literary career he became close with other writers and philosophers such as Lawrence Durrell, Albert Camus and Jean Genet.
His books, which always take place in Egypt or other Arab countries, portray the contrast between poverty and wealth, the powerful and the powerless, in a witty although dramatic way. His writing mocks at vanity and narrowness of materialism and his main characteres are often vangrants,thieves or dandies that subvert the order of an unfair society.
Some of his books translated in english are "Men God forgot"( first translated by Henry Miller and published in USA in 1940), "Proud Beggars", "The lazy ones". In the original languange remain the rest of his work: "Danger de fantasie", "Un complot de saltimbanques", "Les couleurs de l´infamie", "Un ambition dans le désert", "La maison de la mort certaine".
In 1990 was awarded with the Grand Prix de La Francophonie de l´Academie Française and in 2005 with the Grand Prix Poncetton de la SGDL.
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