Haitian writer Mackenzie Orcel wins the Goncourt Prize in its American version

The Haitian writer Mackenzie Ursell received in New York, from the hands of the French writer Anne Berest, the Goncourt Prize in its American version for “Une somme humaine” awarded by French-speaking students at universities in the United States.

In its second edition in the United States, the Goncourt Academy announced the name of the winner of “Choix Goncourt United States” during a ceremony held in Manhattan at the Albertine Villa of the French Embassy on Saturday, headed by Anne Perest, who won this award in 2022 surrounded by students from 8 universities (Columbia and Duke Harvard, MIT, New York University, Princeton, University of Virginia and Yale).

These bilingual young people, mostly American, French and other nationalities women, have studied for months 6 books in French of the works nominated for the 2022 Goncourt Prize, which was won by French Brigitte Giraud in November for her novel “Vivre vite” published by the house “Flammarion”. .

The jury awarded the Prix Goncourt to the American version of “A Human Collection” by the Haitian novelist and poet Mackenzie Urcel.

Throughout the 600 pages of the book “A human collection” edited by the “Rivage” house, a woman inhabited by poetry and violence speaks from a world after death.

Consequently, the jury excluded the book “Living Fast” by Brigitte Giraud and “The Wizard of the Kremlin” (Le Mage du Kremlin) published by the “Galimar” house of Italian-Swiss novelist Giuliano De Empoli, as well as “Casi Sisters ” (Les presque soeurs) from the house “I am”. Written by Chloe Corman.

And when Anne Berest announced the name of the winner, Ursel unexpectedly appeared at the Villa Albertine to applause.

Born in 1983 in Port-au-Prince, the writer, winner of a literary prize in France, said: “I do not write to receive prizes. I write because it is important, because literature is an invitation to look at the world.” different and treat it differently.