Amara Lakhous

Lakhous was born in 1970 in Algiers, Algeria, in a Berber family with nine siblings. He graduated with a degree in philosophy from the University of Algiers. He also obtained a degree in cultural anthropology from the La Sapienza University in Rome with a thesis on the second generation of Muslim Arab immigrants in Italy. ==Career==

Lakhous wrote his first book, titled The Bedbugs and the Pirates, in 1993. It was written in the Algerian dialect of Arabic and published in a bilingual Arabic-Italian text in 1999. In 1994, Lakhous began work as a reporter for the Algerian national radio. Shortly thereafter, he left for Italy following death threats from Islamists. From 1995, he worked in Italy as a cultural mediator, interpreter, and translator in the field of immigration. ==Selected works==

• • • (Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio, translated by Ann Goldstein, Europa Editions, 2008, ) • (Divorce Islamic Style, translated by Ann Goldstein, Europa Editions, 2012, ) • Alessandra Stanley described the book as "a whimsical and at times heartbreaking look at the Muslim immigrants" living in Italy. • • (Dispute Over a Very Italian Piglet, translated by Ann Goldstein, Europa Editions, 2014, ) • Carmela Ciuraru of The New York Times described it as "very funny". • (The Prank of the Good Little Virgin of Via Ormea, translated by Antony Shugaar, 2016, Europa Editions, ) • On the quest to write in a third language. Amara Lakhous dreams of green cheese and being reborn into New York City. May 4, 2016. • The Night Bird. Manshurat al-Hibr. 2019. "Arabic Fiction." ==Honours==

In 2006, Lakhous won the Flaiano prize as well as the Racalmere-Leonardo Sciascia prize for Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio. He obtained the Prix des Libraires Algériens in 2008. == References ==