Junior Littell Wins Big

Reuters reports that the Académie Française has awarded its top literary prize to Jonathan Littell, son of celebrated American crime fictionist Robert Littell. This is the first time the commendation has been given to an American author. The winning work, Les Bienveillantes, is the 39-year-old Littell’s debut literary novel and was written in French. According to Reuters:

The 900-page tome tackles the Holocaust through the eyes of Nazi Maximilien Aue, following the activities of the SS death squads responsible for exterminating Jews and communists in areas conquered by German forces in World War Two.

The article goes on to observe that Les Bienveillantes “is on the short-list for several other literary prizes this autumn.”

The Rap Sheet has reported previously on the six-figure sum announced for the purchase of U.S. rights to Les Bienveillantes during the recent Frankfurt Book Fair. The English translation will apparently be published as The Furies.