Maryse Condé Dies at 90 Years Old (1934–2024)

When we talk about novels, playwriting, and critics, we cannot afford not to talk about Maryse Condé. A French novelist from the French overseas departments and the region of Guadeloupe.

An academic whose teaching career transferred her to West Africa, North America, the Caribbean, and Europe.

Condé was known to be the best writer and has won many hearts with her magnificent writing skills. She also won many awards as a result.

Maryse Condé was best known for her novel Ségou, written in the years 1994–1985. She was married to Richard Philcox (1982) and Mamadou Condé (1959–1981)

Born on February 11th, 1934, at Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, France, to Jeanne Quidal and Auguste Boucolo. She had her educations at University of Paris (1975), Sorbonne Nouvelle University, Lycée Fénelon, École primaire Fénelon Monceau

Award Won by Maryse Condé

Maryse Condé has won a lot of awards due to her writing.

• Grand prix littéraire de la Femme (1986)
• Prix de l’Académie française (1988)
• Prix Carbet de la Caraïbe (1997)
• Hurston-Wright Legacy Award
• New Academy Prize in Literature (2018)

She was notably known for her work Ségou (1984); The Gospel According to the New World (2023)

Condé’s writing was solely based on slavery, colonialism, and the African diaspora in the Caribbean. Most of her novels written in the French language were translated into the English language, German, Portuguese, Dutch, Italian, Japanese, and Spanish.

Plays by Maryse Condé

As a playwright, these are some of the notable plays she wrote.

• Dieu nous l’a donné, published in 1972, first performed in Paris in 1973
• A Tan Révolisyion, published in 1991, was first performed in Guadeloupe in 1989.
• La Mort d’Oluwémi d’Ajumako, published in 1973, first performed in 1974 in Gabon
• Le Morne de Massabielle, the first version staged in 1974 in Puteaux, France, later staged in English in New York as The Hills of Massabielle at the Ubu Repertory Theater (1991)
• Les Sept voyages de Ti-Noël (written in collaboration with José Jernidier), first performed in Guadeloupe in 1987
• Pension les Alizés, published in 1988, was first staged in Guadeloupe and subsequently staged in New York as Tropical Breeze Hotel (1995)
• Comédie d’Amour, first performed in Paris in 1993
• Comme deux frères (2007). Like Two Brothers.

Death of Condé

Unfortunately, she passed away in Apt, Vaucluse, southeastern France, on April 2, 2024, at the age of 90 years old.

Maryse Condé was indeed a phenomenon woman who made writing and reading an interesting thing for our younger generations. Many who loved to read her books have had a great impact.

May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace!!!

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