Winning The Prix Goncourt
Francois Nourrissier, president of the Goncourt jury, said Maalouf was awarded the prize for his novel Le rocher de Tanios (The Tanios Rock), set in 19th-century Lebanon. The Goncourt pays a token $9 but guarantees the winner additional sales of up to 500,000 copies and media fame.
Maalouf, whose book is published by Grasset, won the prize by six votes to two to Michel Braudeau, author of Pierrot mon ami (My Friend Pierrot).
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