Kamel Daoud

Kamel Daoud (2015)
by Claude Truong-Ngoc

Kamel Daoud (born June 17, 1970) is an Algerian writer and journalist. He was born in Mostaganem, Algeria.

Daoud edits the French language daily Le quotidien d’Oran where he contributes a popular chronique or tart commentary on the news under the title “Raina Raikoum” (“My Opinion, Your Opinion”) in French.[1]

Daouds book Meursault, contre-enquête [Meursault, Counter Investigation], has already won the prix François Mauriac, and the Prix des cinq continents de la Francophonie but was also on the shortlist for the Prix Goncourt and the Prix Renaudot,[2]

In December 2014, Islamist politician Abdelfattah Hamadache, a member of the Free Awakening Front party, called for Daoud to be executed for blasphemy for the publication of the book Meursault, contre-enquête and described Daoud as a "deviant creature" and a "collaborator." Daoud subsequently defended his book, stating that "It was a fictional character in the novel who said these things, not me. If we judge people on the basis of characters in their books, we will be facing dark times in Algeria." [3]

In April 2015, his short fictional work entitled "Musa" was featured in the New Yorker magazine.[4]

References

  1. ↑ https://www.guernicamag.com/daily/kamel_daoud_meursault/
  2. ↑ http://themodernnovelblog.com/2014/10/29/kamel-daoud-meursault-contre-enque%cc%82te-meursault-counter-investigation/
  3. ↑ Islamist Politician Demands Execution of Algerian Author Kamel Daoud for Blasphemy in His Book, MEMRI, Clip No. 4714 (transcript), December 19-22, 2014 (Video clip available here).
  4. ↑ http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/04/06/musa?intcid=mod-yml