Prison narrative bags France's top literary prize

PARIS

With his 22nd book, a French author won France’s top literary prize on Monday.

The Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary honor, went to Jean-Paul Dubois, 69, for his novel, “Not all men inhabit the world the same way.”

In his book, Dubois tells the tale of a steward incarcerated for an unknown crime for two years in Montreal, Canada.

Though the prize has a monetary award of only €10, it all but guarantees a sharp rise in sales

Last year’s Prix Goncourt went to Eric Vuillard for his novel L'Ordre du jour (The Agenda), which focused on the hidden steps which gave rise to the Nazis’ takeover of Austria in 1938.

Awarded for the first time in 1903, the Prix Goncourt is given by the Academie Goncourt to the author of "the best and most imaginative prose work of the year."

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz