Photo: Dinkley / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Amin Maalouf occupies a position I find genuinely thrilling: born in Beirut, Arabic his mother tongue, yet writing his life's work in French from exile in France. The Crusades Through Arab Eyes alone reframes a familiar history by simply changing whose perspective we follow, and that act of reversal runs through everything he does. With novels like Samarkand and Leo Africanus translated into more than forty languages, he proves how universal a particular, divided life can become. I am always moved by writers who turn displacement into insight rather than grievance, and Maalouf's interrogation of identity carries unusual moral weight.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Amin Maalouf
- Name (Japanese)
- アミン・マアルーフ
- Reading
- あみん・まあるーふ
- Born
- February 25, 1949 (age 77)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Ox
- Origin
- Beirut, Beirut Governorate, Lebanon
- Occupation
- journalist / writer / librettist / science fiction writer / novelist
2. Background
- University
- Saint Joseph University of Beirut
Awards & achievements
- Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres
- Knight First Class of the Order of the Lion of Finland
- honorary doctor of the Rovira i Virgili University
- Honorary doctor of the Catholic University of Louvain
- honorary doctorate from the American University of Beirut
- 1986 Franco-Arabic Friendship Award
- 1987 Paul Flat Prize
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Rock of Tanios | — | |
| Notable work | Leo Africanus | — | |
| Notable work | Samarkand | — | |
| Notable work | The Crusades Through Arab Eyes | — | |
| Notable work | The Gardens of Light | — | |
| Notable work | In the Name of Identity | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Amin Maalouf born?
Born February 25, 1949 (age 77).
Where is Amin Maalouf from?
Amin Maalouf is from Beirut, Beirut Governorate, Lebanon.
What does Amin Maalouf do?
Amin Maalouf works as journalist, writer, librettist, science fiction writer, novelist.
What is Amin Maalouf known for?
Notable works include The Rock of Tanios, Leo Africanus, Samarkand.
Journalist — see all → · Writer — see all → · More people from Lebanon →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.