Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt

Author profile

born

in Sainte-Foy-lès-Lyon, France

March 28, 1960

gender

male

website

http://www.eric-emmanuel-schmitt.com

genre

Literature & Fiction

About this author

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A popular contemporary French author and dramatist, his plays are translated and staged in more than 30 countries all over the world.

He studied at the Lycée du Parc in Lyon and was accepted at the famous École normale supérieure in Paris (1980–1985), where he received a doctorate in philosophy. As the theme for his dissertation, he chose "Diderot and metaphysics". He spent three years teaching in Cherbourg and at the university of Chambéry.

He is of Alsation extraction. Both of his parents were physical education teachers. Growing up under the influence of his parents' atheist outlook, Schmitt eventually professed himself a Christian, after years of being an agnostic.

Initially he became known as a scriptwriter for the stage. His debut work,...more A popular contemporary French author and dramatist, his plays are translated and staged in more than 30 countries all over the world.

He studied at the Lycée du Parc in Lyon and was accepted at the famous École normale supérieure in Paris (1980–1985), where he received a doctorate in philosophy. As the theme for his dissertation, he chose "Diderot and metaphysics". He spent three years teaching in Cherbourg and at the university of Chambéry.

He is of Alsation extraction. Both of his parents were physical education teachers. Growing up under the influence of his parents' atheist outlook, Schmitt eventually professed himself a Christian, after years of being an agnostic.

Initially he became known as a scriptwriter for the stage. His debut work, "La nuit de Valognes", was produced a number of times in 1991/1992, both in France and abroad. His breakthrough theatre work came with his second script, "Le Visiteur", which won Molière prizes for best author and best show in 1993.

The following years were littered with theatrical successes such as "Golden Joe" (1995), "Variations Énigmatiques" (1996), "Le Libertin" (1997), "Milarepa" (1997), "Frédérick ou Le Boulevard du Crime" (1998), "Hôtel des deux mondes" (1999) and "Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran" (1999).

Schmitt covers a variety of themes in his work. "Golden Joe" takes a look of the cynical attitudes to life of those involved in high finance. In "Variations énigmatiques", the author gives voice to two very different men, who discuss their own philosophies of life and love - as it turns out, both were in love with the same woman. "Le Libertin" is a historical drama about the life of philosopher Denis Diderot and a film version was released in 2000.

In 2001, Schmitt was awarded the "Grand Prix du théâtre de l'Académie Française". His plays have been performed in 35 countries and translated into many languages. They show influences from Samuel Beckett, Jean Anouilh and Paul Claudel, among others.

In addition to his plays, Schmitt has written a number of successful novels, including "La Secte des Égoïstes" (1994), "Oscar et la dame rose" (1999), "L'Évangile selon Pilate" (2000), "La Part de l'Autre" (2001), "Lorsque j'étais une œuvre d'art" (2002), "L'enfant de Noé" (2004), "Ma vie avec Mozart" (2005).

World religions play an important role in Schmitt's writing. In "Le Cycle de l'Invisible", Schmitt attempts a harmonization of religions and cultures. "Milarepa" is the first issue in this series and depicts Tibetan Buddhism. The second volume, "Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran" is dedicated to Sufism, a subset of Islam, also referencing Judaism. "Oscar et la dame rose" (the third volume) concerns Christianity. "L'enfant de Noé" (a comparison of Judaism and Christianity) rounds off the series.

"Monsieur Ibrahim et les fleurs du Coran" (English: M. Ibrahim and the Flowers of the Koran) received the German prize for fiction in 2004 and a film version was produced in 2003, directed by François Dupeyron with Omar Sharif in the title role.

Persian:
اریک امانوئل شمیت (less)

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Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt's Books

Average rating: 3.82 · 17,537 ratings · 1,250 reviews · 51 distinct works · Similar authors

	Oscar et la dame rose (Le Cycle de l'Invisible, #3) 4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 avg rating — 3,605 ratings — published 2002 — 46 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Monsieur Ibrahim and The Flowers of the Qur'an (Le Cycle de l'Invisible, #2) by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Patricia Benecke (Translator), Patrick Driver (Translator) 3.76 of 5 stars 3.76 avg rating — 2,595 ratings — published 2001 — 55 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	La Part de l'autre 4.09 of 5 stars 4.09 avg rating — 1,043 ratings — published 2001 — 15 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	خرده جنایت‌های زناشوهری by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, شهلا حائری (Translator), اريك امانوئل اشميت 3.91 of 5 stars 3.91 avg rating — 1,655 ratings — published 2003 — 29 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Most Beautiful Book in the World: Eight Novellas by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Alison Anderson (Translator) 3.64 of 5 stars 3.64 avg rating — 1,474 ratings — published 1986 — 35 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	L'enfant de Noé (Le Cycle de l'Invisible, #4) 3.86 of 5 stars 3.86 avg rating — 811 ratings — published 2004 — 21 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	L'évangile selon Pilate 3.93 of 5 stars 3.93 avg rating — 573 ratings — published 2000 — 24 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Lorsque j'étais une œuvre d'art 3.57 of 5 stars 3.57 avg rating — 776 ratings — published 1387 — 17 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	مهمانسرای دو دنیا by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, شهلا حائری (translator) 3.81 of 5 stars 3.81 avg rating — 366 ratings — published 2006 — 6 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	نوای اسرار آمیز by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, شهلا حائری (Translator) 3.85 of 5 stars 3.85 avg rating — 378 ratings — published 1996 — 6 editions	Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Series by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt

Le Cycle de l'Invisible (6 books)
by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt
3.88366718027735 of 5 stars 3.88 avg rating — 7,788 ratings

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Quotes by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt

“Je ne sais pas où l'on va, murmura-t-il, mais ce qu'il y a de sûr, c'est qu'on y va.”
― Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt

12 people liked it

“-Ça ne fait rien, disait monsieur Ibrahim. Ton amour pour elle, il est à toi. Il t'appartient. Même si elle le refuse, elle ne peut rien y changer. Elle n'en profite pas, c'est tout. Ce que tu donnes, Momo, c'est à toi pour toujours; ce que tu gardes, c'est perdu à jamais!”
― Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Monsieur Ibrahim and The Flowers of the Qur'an

12 people liked it

“Le silence bavardait entre nous.”
― Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, L'évangile selon Pilate

10 people liked it

See all Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt's quotes »

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