Bernard Clavel
Encyclopedia
Bernard Charles Henri Clavel (May 29, 1923 – October 5, 2010) was a French
writer.
Clavel was born in Lons-le-Saunier
. From a humble background, he was largely self-educated. He began working as a pastry cook apprentice when he was 14 years old. He later had several jobs until he began working as a journalist in the 1950s
. After the war, he worked for the social insurance
, and he could not dedicate himself to literature until 1964. He has lived and worked in many places and lived in Savoy
until his death.
His first novel Night Worker (L'Ouvrier de la nuit, 1956) would be the first of many books. These include works for young people and numerous novels, at times organised into series: La grande patience (The Great Patience, 4 volumes — 1962–1968), Les Colonnes du ciel (Heaven's Pillars, 5 volumes — 1976–1981), or Le Royaume du nord (Northern Kingdom, 6 volumes — 1983–1989).
In his writings, he employed simple language and attached importance to humble characters and to the defence of humanist values by questioning violence and war.
He died in Grenoble
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
writer.
Clavel was born in Lons-le-Saunier
Lons-le-Saunier
Lons-le-Saunier is a commune and capital of the Jura department in eastern France.-Geography:The town is in the heart of the Revermont region, at the foot of the "premier plateau" of the Jura massif...
. From a humble background, he was largely self-educated. He began working as a pastry cook apprentice when he was 14 years old. He later had several jobs until he began working as a journalist in the 1950s
1950s
The 1950s or The Fifties was the decade that began on January 1, 1950 and ended on December 31, 1959. The decade was the sixth decade of the 20th century...
. After the war, he worked for the social insurance
Social insurance
Social insurance is any government-sponsored program with the following four characteristics:* the benefits, eligibility requirements and other aspects of the program are defined by statute;...
, and he could not dedicate himself to literature until 1964. He has lived and worked in many places and lived in Savoy
Savoy
Savoy is a region of France. It comprises roughly the territory of the Western Alps situated between Lake Geneva in the north and Monaco and the Mediterranean coast in the south....
until his death.
His first novel Night Worker (L'Ouvrier de la nuit, 1956) would be the first of many books. These include works for young people and numerous novels, at times organised into series: La grande patience (The Great Patience, 4 volumes — 1962–1968), Les Colonnes du ciel (Heaven's Pillars, 5 volumes — 1976–1981), or Le Royaume du nord (Northern Kingdom, 6 volumes — 1983–1989).
In his writings, he employed simple language and attached importance to humble characters and to the defence of humanist values by questioning violence and war.
He died in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
.
Prizes and memberships
- Prix Goncourt for Les Fruits de l'hiver: 1968
- member of Académie GoncourtAcadémie GoncourtThe Société littéraire des Goncourt , usually called the académie Goncourt , is a French literary organization based in Paris. It was founded by the French writer and publisher Edmond de Goncourt...
1971–1977. - member of Coordination française pour la Décennie de la culture de paix et de non-violence.
- member of Non-Violence XXI group since 2001.
Partial bibliography
- Cargo pour l'enfer 1993
- Malataverne, 1993
- L'Arbre qui chante
- Les Roses de Verdun
- Collection La Grande Patience
- La Maison des autres
- Celui qui voulait voir la mer
- Le Cœur des vivants
- Les Fruits de l'hiver
- Collection Les Colonnes du ciel
- La Saison des loups
- La Lumière du lac
- La Femme de guerre
- Marie Bon pain
- Compagnons du Nouveau Monde
- Collection Le Royaume du nord
- Harricana 1983
- L’Or de la terre 1984
- Miséréré 1985
- Amarok 1987
- L’Angélus du soir 1988
- Maudits sauvages 1989
Film adaptations
- Le Tonnerre de Dieu (1966), Denys de La PatellièreDenys de La PatellièreDenys de La Patellière is a French film director and scriptwriter.He was born in Nantes.-Filmography as director:* 1955 : Les Aristocrates with Pierre Fresnay...
, from the book Qui m'emporte. - Le Voyage du père (1966), Denys de La PatellièreDenys de La PatellièreDenys de La Patellière is a French film director and scriptwriter.He was born in Nantes.-Filmography as director:* 1955 : Les Aristocrates with Pierre Fresnay...
.
Television adaptations
- La Maison des autres (1977), Jean-Pierre Marchand Bernard Clavel.
- L'hercule sur la place.
- L'Espagnol (1967), directed by Jean PratJean PratJean Prat was French rugby union footballer. He was awarded the Légion d'honneur in 1959. He played over 50 times for France and is a member of both the International Rugby Hall of Fame and IRB Hall of Fame, being inducted in 2001 and 2011 respectively...
. - Le Tambour du bief
- Le Silence des armes
- Malataverne
- La Bourelle
- Les colonnes du ciel, adaptation de Gabriel Axel en 5 épisodes de 90 minutes.