Philippe Besson

Philippe Besson (born 29 January 1967 in Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire, Charente) is a French writer.

In 1999, Besson, a law graduate, was inspired to write his first novel, En l'absence des hommes while reading of accounts of ex-serviceman during the First World War. The novel, with its daring inclusion of Marcel Proust as a central character, won the Prix Emmanuel Roblès. Besson's second novel, Son Frère was shortlisted for the Prix Femina, and adapted for cinema by Patrice Chéreau in 2003. The film was well received and won the Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.

• En l'absence des hommes, Éditions Julliard, 2001, ISBN 9782260015642
  • In the Absence of Men, Heinemann 2003, translated by Frank Wynne, Carroll & Graf, 2003, ISBN 978-0-7867-1161-1
• Son frère, Julliard, 2001, ISBN 978-2-260-01586-4
  • His Brother translated by Frank Wynne, Heinemann, 2004, ISBN 978-0-434-01211-4
• L'arrière saison, Julliard, 2002, ISBN 978-2-260-01610-6(inspired by Edward Hopper's painting Nighthawks)
• Un garçon d'Italie, Julliard, 2003, ISBN 978-2-260-01642-7(which was shortlisted for both the Prix Goncourt and the Prix Médicis.)
• Les Jours fragiles, Julliard, 2004, ISBN 978-2-260-01641-0(focussing on the last days of Rimbaud, it has been optioned by François Dupeyron for the cinema.)
• Un instant d'abandon: roman, Julliard, 2005, ISBN 978-2-260-01681-6
• Se résoudre aux adieux: roman, Julliard, 2007, ISBN 978-2-260-01726-4
  • The Accidental Man
• Arrête avec tes mensonges, Éditions Julliard, 2017, ISBN 9782260029885
  • Lie with Me translated by Molly Ringwald, Scribner, 2019, ISBN 9781501197871