Mallet-Joris, Françoise (1930–)

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Mallet-Joris, Françoise (1930–)

Belgian-French novelist. Name variations: Francoise Mallet-Joris. Born Françoise Lilar, July 6, 1930, in Antwerp, Belgium; dau. of Suzanne Lilar; educated in US and at Sorbonne.

Feminist and existentialist, was awarded the Prix Femina for L'Empire Céleste (1958, Café Céleste, 1959); other writings, most of which have been translated into English, include the bestselling Le Rempart des béguines (1951), published in US as The Illusionist (1952), as well as Les Mensonges (1956, House of Lies, 1957), Lettres à moi-même (1963), Les signes et les prodiges (1966), La maison de papier (1970), and La Tristesse du Cerf-Volant (1988); served as member of jury of Prix Femina; was elected president of Académie Goncourt (1973).

See also autobiography, Signs and Wonders (Farrar, 1967).