Amara Lakhous

Amara Lakhous (born Algiers, 1970) is an Italian author, journalist and anthropologist of Algerian origin. He currently lives in New York City.

Early life Lakhous was born in 1970 in Algiers, Algeria, in a Berber family with nine siblings. He graduated with a degree in philosophy from the University of Algiers. He also obtained a degree in cultural anthropology from the La Sapienza University in Rome with a thesis on the second generation of Muslim Arab immigrants in Italy.

Career Lakhous wrote his first book, titled The Bedbugs and the Pirates, in 1993. It was written in the Algerian dialect of Arabic and published in a bilingual Arabic-Italian text in 1999. In 1994, Lakhous began work as a reporter for the Algerian national radio. Shortly thereafter, he left for Italy following death threats from Islamists. From 1995, he worked in Italy as a cultural mediator, interpreter, and translator in the field of immigration.

Selected works

(Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio, translated by Ann Goldstein, Europa Editions, 2008, ) (Divorce Islamic Style, translated by Ann Goldstein, Europa Editions, 2012, ) Alessandra Stanley described the book as "a whimsical and at times heartbreaking look at the Muslim immigrants" living in Italy.

(Dispute Over a Very Italian Piglet, translated by Ann Goldstein, Europa Editions, 2014, ) Carmela Ciuraru of The New York Times described it as "very funny". (The Prank of the Good Little Virgin of Via Ormea, translated by Antony Shugaar, 2016, Europa Editions, ) On the quest to write in a third language. Amara Lakhous dreams of green cheese and being reborn into New York City. May 4, 2016. The Night Bird. Manshurat al-Hibr. 2019. "Arabic Fiction."

Honours In 2006, Lakhous won the Flaiano prize as well as the Racalmere-Leonardo Sciascia prize for Clash of Civilizations Over an Elevator in Piazza Vittorio. He obtained the Prix des Libraires Algériens in 2008.