The Goncourt Prize awarded to Mohamed Mbougar Sarr for “The most secret memory of men”

Published on : 11/03/2021 – 12:52Modified : 11/03/2021 – 13:16

The story of the Senegalese writer Mohamed Mbougar Sarr seduced the jurors of Goncourt. The author has experienced a phenomenal rise to win Wednesday, November 3, at the age of 31, the most prestigious literary prize for his novel “The most secret memory of men”, which crowns the efforts of an obstinate worker.

He is the youngest laureate since Patrick Grainville in 1976, and this is just one of the high steps he has taken in his life. Born in 1990, son of a doctor from Diourbel, in central Senegal, he proved to be an excellent student and avid reader.

When asked if he felt any pressure from his parents to be successful as the eldest of six brothers, he replies, “No, not necessarily! I just want to give the best example I can. my brothers”.

Elite

He joined the elite sector of boys in his country, the military prytaneum of Saint-Louis-du-Senegal. Many professions come to mind, doctor, footballer, soldier, journalist, lawyer, teacher … Lycée de Compiègne, north of Paris.

She will take her to one of the most prestigious French “grandes écoles”, the École des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales (EHESS). His research focused on the great voice of African literature and champion of “negritude”, Léopold Sedar Senghor.

“I did not finish my thesis, because I started to write a lot at that time, and fiction won out,” he says. He now lives in Beauvais, north of Paris.

He entered literature at the age of 24, with “Terre ceinte”, published by a house whose catalog had formed him, Présence africaine. Follows “Silence du cœur” in 2017.

Philippe Rey, publisher with recognized expertise in French-speaking literature, convinced him to join him for the third and fourth, “De pure hommes” (2018) and “La plus secrète Mémoire des hommes” (2021).

Requirement

On this book which explores the destiny of a cursed Senegalese writer inspired by Malian Yambo Ouologuem (1940-2017), Renaudot prize in 1968, Philippe Rey, known for his high standards, was particularly attentive. According to him, Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, after having explored so finely all African literature, held the subject that was going to make him break through. There was only to work, to rework this text again.

“I was very lucky to have been supported: this is not the case for all African writers. Nor for all writers at all! I am well aware that being an African writer published in France can be complicated, as for all those who come from a margin. But it is changing. That African literature remains largely to be known, it is also a chance for it “, estimated the writer, questioned in September by AFP.

Presented to the juries of the autumn prizes, the novel quickly convinced by the quality of its style and the mystery of its characters.

Of a modest nature and a very soft speech, the young Senegalese was surprised by this success. When his publisher had launched the bet during the summer to run a marathon if he was in the first selection of three different prizes, he had accepted without giving it any further thought.

Philippe Rey has run one since, Mohamed Mbougar Sarr not yet. But he has a good excuse: he has scoured almost every possible literary festival in France in recent months.

The Renaudot prize was awarded at the same time to Amélie Nothomb for “First blood”.