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Hervé Le Tellier wins Goncourt Prize, France's most prestigious literary award

30 November 2020 17:09 (UTC +04:00)

French author Hervé Le Tellier has been awarded the Goncourt Prize for his novel "L'Anomalie" (The Anomaly), APA reports citing France 24.

France's top literary honour was attributed by videolink owing to the coronavirus pandemic.

Le Tellier, 63, is a mathematician by training and former journalist. He is president of the international literary group Oulipo, founded in France by poet Raymond Queneau and writer and scientist François Le Lionnais in 1960.

Le Tellier's "L'Anomalie" obtained eight votes from the Goncourt jury to earn the country's most prestigious book award. Finalist Maël Renouard, meanwhile, won two votes for "L'Historiographe du royaume" (The kingdom's historiographer).

The 2020 Renaudot Prize, awarded moments after the Goncourt as is traditional, went to author Marie-Hélène Lafon for her novel "Histoire du fils" (A son's story).