Jonathan Littell achieved immediate literary prominence in 2006 with the publication of his first French-language novel, The Kindly Ones. This extensive work documenting the Eastern Front through the perspective of a fictional SS officer earned him the prestigious Prix Goncourt and the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française, marking a significant transition from humanitarian work to full-time authorship.
Early Background and Academic Training
Born in New York City in 1967 to author Robert Littell, Jonathan Littell spent his childhood between the United States and France. He attended the Lycée Fénelon in Paris and later graduated from Yale University in 1989. His early literary interests were shaped by exposure to writers such as Sade, Blanchot, Genet, and William S. Burroughs, whom he met while at university. Before dedicating himself to his own novels, he worked as a translator, rendering various French literary works into English.
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Between 1994 and 2001, Littell served with the international organization Action Against Hunger. His field deployments spanned Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chechnya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, and Moscow. In 2001, he was injured during an ambush in Chechnya. Shortly after this event, he resigned from his humanitarian role to focus entirely on research and writing, eventually settling in Barcelona.
Literary Development and Publication
Littell's early foray into fiction included the cyberpunk novel Bad Voltage. His subsequent research for The Kindly Ones involved an intense period of historical study, including reading hundreds of books on the Third Reich and traveling across the Caucasus and Eastern Europe. In 2007, he was granted French citizenship in recognition of his cultural contributions. His later career expanded into documentary film, notably directing Wrong Elements, which premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, alongside a consistent output of essays and historical analyses.
Fast facts
- Born: 1967, New York City
- Citizenship: United States and France
- Education: Yale University (1989)
- Primary Literary Award: Prix Goncourt (2006)
- Notable Humanitarian Work: Action Against Hunger (1994–2001)
- Documentary: Wrong Elements (2016)
- Sade Prize: 2018
- Renaudot du livre de poche Prize: 2019
Questions readers ask
What is The Kindly Ones about?
It is a novel set during World War II, narrated by a fictional SS officer named Maximilien Aue.
In which languages does Jonathan Littell write?
He writes in both French and American English.
Achievements
- Prix Goncourt — 2006
- Sade Prize — 2018
- Renaudot du livre de poche Prize — 2019
- Notable work: The Kindly Ones
