La Terrasse des Bernardini

Suzanne Prou (1920-1995) was a French novelist born in Grimaud, Var, who spent parts of her childhood in Algeria and Indochina, earned a literature degree in 1942, and briefly taught before publishing her debut novel Les Patapharis in 1966. She authored around two dozen novels, winning the Prix Cazes in 1972 for Méchamment les oiseaux and the prestigious Prix Renaudot in 1973 for her most famous work, La Terrasse des Bernardini (translated as The Bernardini Terrace), and was also noted for children's and young adult literature. An activist against anti-Semitism during WWII, a feminist, and human rights advocate, she served on the Prix Femina jury from 1981 until her death. Read more →