Photo: Photo Claude TRUONG-NGOC / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Kamel Daoud is one of those rare writers whose courage matches his talent. Born in Mostaganem in 1970 and trained as a journalist out of the University of Oran, he announced himself by reimagining Camus's The Stranger from the Arab side in The Meursault Investigation, then capped it with the 2024 Prix Goncourt for Houris. What moves me is not the trophy shelf but the stance: writing in French while wrestling honestly with Algerian reality takes nerve few possess. His journalistic roots give the fiction a bracing, lived-in edge. To me he is essential reading, an author whose willingness to provoke is inseparable from his moral seriousness.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Kamel Daoud
- Name (Japanese)
- カメル・ダウド
- Reading
- かめる・だうど
- Born
- June 17, 1970 (age 56)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Dog
- Origin
- Mostaganem, Mostaganem Province, Algeria
- Occupation
- journalist / writer
2. Background
- University
- University of Oran
Awards & achievements
- 2017 Livre et droits humains award
- 2019 Prix mondial Cino Del Duca
- 2019 Revue des deux Mondes prize
- 2020 Prix de la laïcité
- 2024 Prix Goncourt
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | The Meursault Investigation | — | |
| Notable work | Houris | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was Kamel Daoud born?
Born June 17, 1970 (age 56).
Where is Kamel Daoud from?
Kamel Daoud is from Mostaganem, Mostaganem Province, Algeria.
What does Kamel Daoud do?
Kamel Daoud works as journalist, writer.
What is Kamel Daoud known for?
Notable works include The Meursault Investigation, Houris.
Journalist — see all → · Writer — see all → · More people from Algeria →
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.