Assam

Gérard de Cortanze (born July 22, 1948, in Paris) is a prolific French writer, essayist, translator, and literary critic of Italian descent, best known for his Prix Renaudot-winning historical novel Assam (2002), part of the Cycle des Vice-Rois saga, and recent biographical works like Viva Frida (2022) and Savinien de Cyrano, sieur de Bergerac (2024). He has received numerous accolades, including the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (2009), Prix SGDL-Charles Vildrac (1999), and Prix Méditerranée (2014), and serves as president of the Jean-Monnet Prize for European Literature jury.