A prominent voice of her generation,
a master of poetic images and a tireless writer of prose, Andrée
Chedid bridged the two cultures of France and the Middle East
for over sixty years. Chedid, who was born in Cairo with ancestral
ties to Lebanon and Syria, spent most of her life in France.
She began her elementary education in Egypt, completed her secondary education
in Paris, and received a degree in journalism from the American University
in Cairo. In 1946 she became a
French citizen by choice, and lived in Paris until her death on February 6, 2011 at the age of 90. Chedid, a great contemporary writer
of French literature, received numerous awards.
Beginning her literary career as a poet, Chedid
explored other generic forms of expression with success. In addition
to twenty-three volumes of poetry, not counting her illustrated poetry, Chedid
wrote seventeen novels, seven plays and numerous short stories and children's books. In
addition to English translations, Chedid's works have been published in
fifteen other languages. |
