The UCLA Department of French and Francophone Studies presents the 2006 Prix Renaudot award-winning author Alain Mabanckou reading from his novels.

Tuesday, December 5, 2006
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
James West Alumni Center
325 Westwood Plaza
UCLA campus
Los Angeles, CA 90095

Alain Mabanckou, winner of the 2006 Prix Renaudot and UCLA Visiting Professor will be reading from his novels Verre cassé and Mémoires de porc-épic.

A reception will follow the reading and discussion.

For campus map, directions, transportation options to UCLA, visit www.ucla.edu/map

Born in Congo-Brazzaville (formerly French Congo, now the Republic of the Congo), Mabanckou is revered in the French-speaking world for celebrating African life and politics in a humorous and tragic way.

"Mémoire de Porc-épic," which was released in September, is a contemporary fable based on an African belief that each human being has an animal alter ego.

Even before winning the Renaudot, the author, who is virtually unknown in the United States, was poised for new prominence. Three of his novels are scheduled to come out in English over the next year. They are "Bleu Blanc Rouge" (Blue White Red), originally published in French in 1998; "African Psycho" (African Psycho), published in French in 2003; and "Verre Cassé" (Broken Glass), published in French in 2005.

To learn more about this award-winning author, visit:
www.international.ucla.edu/africa
and click on story - UCLA Visiting Professor Wins Prestigious French Book Prize.

For more info, contact:
Laura Clennon, Chairs' Administrative Coordinator, UCLA Royce Humanities Group
Tel:  310-267-4842 -- Email:  clennon@humnet.ucla.edu

Go to the parking kiosk on Westwood Blvd. to purchase parking pass and get directions to the West Center.

Cost : Free and open to the public; parking is available for $8.

Sponsor(s): French and Francophone Studies