French author Le Clezio wins 2008 Nobel literature

STOCKHOLM: French novelist Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio has won the 2008 Nobel Prize for literature, the prize committee announced here on Thursday.

A press statement from the Nobel Committee at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences described Le Clezio as "author of new departures, poetic adventure and sensual ecstasy, explorer of a humanity beyond and below the reigning civilisation".

Le Clezio was born in April 13, 1940, in Nice.

At the age of eight, he and his family moved to Nigeria, where his father was stationed as a doctor during the World War II. During the month-long voyage to Nigeria, Le Clezio began his literary career with two books, "Un Long Voyage" and "Oradi Noir", the academy said in its website.

Le Clezio studied English at a British university and taught at institutions in Bangkok, Mexico City, Boston, Austin and Albuquerque, the Academy's website said.

He wrote his first novel "Le proces-verbal" (The Interrogation), at the age of  23 that won the Renaudot prize in France.

His 1980 "Desert", the Academy said, "contains magnificent images of a lost culture in the North African desert, contrasted with a depiction of Europe seen through the eyes of unwanted immigrants".

At least a dozen of the French author's works have been translated into English.

Nobel prizes are awarded annually in recognition of the achievements in science, literature, economics and for peace, The prizes bearing the name of Alfred Nobel were first awarded in 1901 in accordance with the 1895 will of the Swedish scientist.