Lucette Desvignes (May 1, 1926 – February 14, 2024) was a French writer.

Career

Desvignes taught

comparative literature Comparative literature studies is an academic field dealing with the study of literature and cultural expression across language, linguistic, national, geographic, and discipline, disciplinary boundaries. Comparative literature "performs a role ...

and theatre history at both the Université de Saint-Etienne and the Université de Lyon, before devoting her career to writing in the early 1980s. Her first book, ''Nœuds d'argile'', was published in 1982. It was awarded the Prix Roland-Dorgelès that year. ''Nœuds d'argile'' was the first book in the ''Les Mains nues'' trilogy. The next two books, ''Le grain du chanvre'' and ''Le livre de Juste,'' were published in 1985 and 1986, the year in which she received the Prix Bourgogne for the trilogy. In 1973, Desvignes spent six months as a visiting professor in Western Canada. She was made a Commander of the

Ordre des Palmes Académiques A suite, in Western classical music, is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral/concert band pieces. It originated in the late 14th century as a pairing of dance tunes; and grew in scope so that by the early 17th century it comprised up to ...

in 1978. As of 2010, Desvignes had written ten novels, eight plays, three volumes of poetry, and more than 100 short stories.

Personal life

Desvignes was born in Mercurey (

Saône-et-Loire Saône-et-Loire (; Arpitan: ''Sona-et-Lêre'') is a department in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region in France. It is named after the rivers Saône and Loire, between which it lies, in the country's central-eastern part. Saône-et-Loire is B ...

), France on May 1, 1926. She lived in

Dijon Dijon (, ; ; in Burgundian language (Oïl), Burgundian: ''Digion'') is a city in and the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Côte-d'Or Departments of France, department and of the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté Regions of France, region in eas ...

from the late 1960s onwards. Her son, Antoine Volodine (born Jean Desvignes) is also a writer. She died on February 14, 2024, at the age of 97.

Legacy

The French literary prize, Prix Lucette Desvignes de la Nouvelle, was created and named in honour of Desvignes.

Works

Novels * ''Les Mains nues'' trilogy ** ''Noeuds d'argile'' (1982) ** ''Le Grain du chanvre ou L'histoire de Jeanne'' (1985) ** ''Le Livre de Juste'' (1986) * ''Clair de nuit'' (1984) * ''Les Mains libres'' ** ''Vent debout'' (1991'')'' ** ''La Brise en poupe'' (1993) * ''La Maison sans volets'' (1992) * ''Le Miel de l'aube: une enfance en Bourgogne sous l'Occupation''. (

Autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...

, 2000) * ''La Seconde Visite'' (2003) * ''Voyage en Botulie'' (2008) * ''Histoire de Colombe'' (2010)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Desvignes, Lucette People from Saône-et-Loire 1926 births 2024 deaths Commandeurs of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques 20th-century French novelists 20th-century French women writers 21st-century French novelists 21st-century French women writers French women novelists 20th-century French dramatists and playwrights 21st-century French dramatists and playwrights French women dramatists and playwrights