Michel Houellebecq (pronounced [miʃɛl wɛlbɛk]) (real name Michel Thomas), born 26 February 1958, on the French island of Réunion is a controversial, award-winning French novelist. He left France and lived in Ireland for some years. He currently lives in Spain but has said that he does not intend to stay there indefinitely. For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words see here. ... February 26 is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A novel is an extended work of written, narrative, prose fiction, usually in story form; the writer of a novel is a novelist. ...

Works

Houellebecq graduated as an agronomical engineer. He later worked as a computer administrator in Paris, including at the French National Assembly, before he became the so-called "pop star of the single generation". Gaining fame with the novel Extension du domaine de la lutte in 1994 (translated into English by Paul Hammond as Whatever), he won the 1998 Prix Novembre with his novel Les particules élementaires (translated by Frank Wynne) and published as Atomised (Heinemann, UK), or, The Elementary Particles (Knopf, US). The novel became an instant "nihilistic classic", although the New York Times described it as "a deeply repugnant read." The novel won Houellebecq—along with his translator, Frank Wynne—the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award in 2002. The Institut national agronomique Paris-Grignon (INA P-G) is a French grande école. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Location Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région ÃŽle-de-France Département Paris (75) Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Mayor Bertrand Delanoë  (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land... The Palais Bourbon, front The French National Assembly (French: Assemblée nationale) is one of the two houses of the bicameral Parliament of France under the Fifth Republic. ... DVD cover Extension du domaine de la lutte, in English broadening of the struggle , is the debut novel of French writer, Michel Houellebecq, which was published in 1994, and later made into a 1999 film directed by and starring Philippe Harel. ... Frank Wynne (born 1962) is an Irish literary translator and writer. ... Les Particules Élémentaires (The Elementary Particles) is a cynical novel by the French author Michel Houellebecq, published in France in 1998. ... Les Particules Élémentaires (The Elementary Particles) is a novel by the French author Michel Houellebecq, published in France in 1998. ... Nihilism is a philosophical position, often associated with Friedrich Nietzsche (though he considered it something to be overcome), which argues that the world, and especially past and current human existence, is without objective meaning, purpose, comprehensible truth, or essential value. ... The New York Times is an internationally known daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed in the United States and many other nations worldwide. ... Frank Wynne (born 1962) is an Irish literary translator and writer. ... The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award is the largest and most international prize of its kind for a single work -published in English. ...

The author's following novel, Plateforme (2001), earned him a wider reputation. It is a romance, told mostly in the first-person by an aging male arts administrator, with many sex scenes and an approbation of prostitution and sex tourism. The novel's depiction of life and its explicit criticism of Islam and the Muslim faith, together with an interview its author gave to the magazine Lire, led to accusations against Houellebecq by several organisations, including France's Human Rights League, the Mecca-based World Islamic League and the mosques of Paris and Lyon. Charges were brought to trial, in circumstances reminiscent of Britain's Salman Rushdie affair; but a panel of three judges, delivering their verdict to a packed Paris courtroom, acquitted the author of having provoked racial hatred, ascribing Houellebecq's opinions to the legitimate right of criticizing religions. Cover of the U.S. release of the novel. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Sex tourism is travelling for sexual intercourse with prostitutes or to engage in other sexual activity. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (مسلم), believe God (Arabic: الله ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... Lire is well-known and serious French literary magazine covering both French and foreign literature. ... Mecca IPA: or Makkah IPA: (in full: Makkah al-Mukarramah; Arabic: ‎, Turkish: Mekke) is the capital city of Saudi Arabias Makkah province, in the historic Hejaz region. ... The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca as it exists today A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ...   City flag City coat of arms Motto: (Arpitan: Forward, forward, Lyon the best) Coordinates Time Zone CET (GMT +1) Administration Country France Région Rhône-Alpes Département Rhône (69) Subdivisions 9 arrondissements Intercommunality Urban Community of Lyon Mayor Gérard Collomb  (PS) (since 2001) City Statistics Land... Salman Rushdie (born Ahmed Salman Rushdie, Urdu: ‎, on June 19, 1947, in Bombay, India) is a British-Indian essayist and author of fiction, most of which is set on the Indian subcontinent. ...

His most recent novel is The Possibility of an Island (translated by Gavin Bowd. Original title La Possibilité d'une île), is a novel that alternates between three characters' narratives, Daniel 1 (a current day comedian) and Daniel 24 and 25, neo-human clones of the Daniel 1. The Possibility of an Island is a recent (2005) novel by controversial French novelist Michel Houellebecq, set within the ambience of a cloning cult that resembles the real-world Raelians. ...

He has also released a music CD Presence humaine, on Bertrand Burgalat's Tricatel label in 2000, on which he sings over a rock band backing. Bertrand Burgalat (1963) is a French musician, composer and producer. ...

A recurrent theme in Houellebecq's novels is the intrusion of free-market economics into human relationships and sexuality. Extension du domaine de la lutte ("extension of the domain of the struggle") alludes to economic competition extending into the search for relationships. As the book says, a free market has winners and losers, and the same applies to relationships in a society that does not enforce monogamy. Westerners of both sexes already seek exotic locations and climates by visiting developing countries in organized trips. In Plateforme, the logical conclusion is that they would respond positively to sex tourism organized and sold in a corporate and professional fashion.

Adaptations

Extension du domaine de la lutte has been filmed by Philippe Harel and adapted as a play in Danish by Jens Albinus for the Royal Danish Theatre. DVD cover Extension du domaine de la lutte, in English broadening of the struggle , is the debut novel of French writer, Michel Houellebecq, which was published in 1994, and later made into a 1999 film directed by and starring Philippe Harel. ... Philippe Harel is a French film director, actor and screenwriter born in 1956. ... Royal Danish Theatre and Hans Christian Andersen ...

The English translation of his novel Platform was adapted as a play by the theatre company Carnal Acts for the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London in December 2004. A Spanish adaptation of the novel by Calixto Bieito, performed by Companyia Teatre Romea, premiered at the 2006 Edinburgh International Festival. External view of the entrance to the ICA from the Mall. ... Calixto Bieito (born 1963) is a Spanish theater director known for his shocking, bizarre, and often deeply perverted productions of classic operas. ... The Edinburgh International Festival is a festival of performing arts that takes place in the city of Edinburgh, Scotland over three weeks from around the middle of August. ...

Along with Loo Hui Phang, Houellebecq wrote the manuscript for the movie Monde extérieur (2002) by David Rault and David Warren. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Les particules élementaires has been made into a German movie, Elementarteilchen, directed by Oskar Roehler, starring Moritz Bleibtreu and Franka Potente. The film premiered at the 2006 Berlinale. The Elementary Particles is a 2006 film based on the controversial novel Les Particules Élémentaires by Michel Houellebecq. ... Moritz Bleibtreu Moritz Bleibtreu (born August 13, 1971 in Munich) is a German actor, best known for starring in Knockin On Heavens Door (1997), Run Lola Run (1998), Im Juli (2000), Lammbock (2001), Das Experiment (2001), Solino (2002), Agnes and His Brothers (2004), Munich (2005), and Elementarteilchen (2006). ... Franka Potente as Lola in 1998s Run Lola Run. ... The Berlin International Film Festival, also called the Berlinale is one of the most important film festivals in Europe. ...

Bibliography

Books

• Rester vivant, méthode, La Différence (1991)
• H.P. Lovecraft: Contre le monde, contre la vie (1991; Trans. as H.P. Lovecraft: Against the World, Against Life by Dorna Khazeni, Intro by Steven King, 2005), an analysis of the life and work of H. P. Lovecraft.
• La Poursuite du bonheur, poèmes, La Différence (1992)
• Extension du domaine de la lutte (1994; Trans. as Whatever by Paul Hammond, 1998)
• Le Sens du combat, poèmes, Flammarion (1996)
• Interventions, recueil d'essais, Flammarion (1998)
• Les Particules élémentaires (1998; Trans. as Atomised by Frank Wynne, 2000; published in the US as The Elementary Particles)
• Renaissance, poèmes, Flammarion (1999)
• Lanzarote - (2000, Trans. by Frank Wynne, 200?)
• Plateforme (2001; Trans. as Platform by Frank Wynne, 2002)
• La Possibilité d'une île (2005; Trans. as The Possibility of an Island by Gavin Bowd, 2006)

Articles Steven King may refer to the following: a misspelling of Stephen King. ... Howard Phillips Lovecraft (August 20, 1890 – March 15, 1937) was an American author of fantasy, horror and science fiction. ... DVD cover Extension du domaine de la lutte, in English broadening of the struggle , is the debut novel of French writer, Michel Houellebecq, which was published in 1994, and later made into a 1999 film directed by and starring Philippe Harel. ... Les Particules Élémentaires (The Elementary Particles) is a cynical novel by the French author Michel Houellebecq, published in France in 1998. ... Les Particules Élémentaires (The Elementary Particles) is a cynical novel by the French author Michel Houellebecq, published in France in 1998. ... Frank Wynne (born 1962) is an Irish literary translator and writer. ... Cover of UK paperback edition of Lanzarote Lanzarote is a novella by the French author Michel Houellebecq, published in France in 2003 from a draft written at an unspecified earlier time [1]. ^ http://books. ... Frank Wynne (born 1962) is an Irish literary translator and writer. ... Cover of the U.S. release of the novel. ... Frank Wynne (born 1962) is an Irish literary translator and writer. ... The Possibility of an Island is a recent (2005) novel by controversial French novelist Michel Houellebecq, set within the ambience of a cloning cult that resembles the real-world Raelians. ...

• ”Description d’une lassitude” (2002) in Houelle 10, Paris.
• ”Je crois peu en la liberté - Entretien” (1998) in Revue Perpendiculaire 11, Paris: Flammarion, p. 4-23.
• ”L’homme de gauche est mal parti” (2003) in Le Figaro 6/1/03, p. 1, 13.
• ”La question pedophile: Réponse” (1997) in L’Infini 59, Paris: Gallimard, pp. 96-98.
• ”La privatisation du monde” (2000) in L’Atelier du roman 23, Paris, pp. 129-34.
• ”Le haut langage” (1995) in La Quinzaine littéraire, 670; Paris; pp. 21-22.
• ”Leonard Cohen – le libertaire impossible”, (2002)
• ”Michel Houellebecq répond à Perpendiculaire” (1998) in Le Monde 18/9/98
• ”Neil Young” (2000) in Michka Assayas (ed.) Dictionnaire du rock, Paris: Robert Laffont.
• ”Préface” in Toni Ungerer (2001) Erotoscope, Paris: Éditions Taschen.
• ”Préface: L’Humanité, second stade” (1998) in Solanas, Valerie: Scum Manifesto, Paris: Éditions Mille et une nuits, pp. 63-69.
• ”Préface: Préliminaires au positivisme” (2003) in Bourdeau, Braunstein & Petit (eds.): Auguste Comte aujourd’hui, Paris: Éditions Kimé, pp. 7-12.
• ”Préface: Renoncer à l’intelligence” (1991) in Gourmont, Remy de: L’Odeur des jacynthes, Paris: Orphée/La Différence, pp. 7-20.
• ”Un monde sans direction” (1996) in La Quinzaine littéraire, 700; Paris; pp. 8-9.
• ”Wilde Flucht” (2000) in Tageszeitung Berlin, 30/10/00.

Films

• "Cristal de souffrance" (1978)
• "Déséquilibre" (1982)
• "La Rivière" (2001) Canal +
• La Possibilité d'une île (TBD)

CDs

• "Le Sens du combat" (1996) Paris: Les Poétiques de France Culture.
• "Présence humaine" (2000) Paris : Tricatel.

Published in collaboration

• Barry, Judith; Convert, Pascal & Pfnür, Rainer (eds.) (1993) "Genius Loci", Paris: La Différence.
• Breillat, Catherine (ed.) (1999) "Le livre du plaisir", Paris: Éditions 1.
• Div. (1995) "Objet Perdu: fictions – Idées – Images", Paris: Lachenal et Ritter & Parc Éditions.
• Hegemann, Claus (ed.) (2000) "Kapitalismus und Depression II: Glück ohne Ende", Berlin: Alexander Verlag.
• Noguez, Dominique (ed.) (2002) "Balade en Seine-et-Marne: Sur les pas des écrivains", Paris: Éditions Alexandrines.
• Ruff, Thomas & Houellebecq, Michel (2002) "Nudes", München: Walther König.
• Wiame, Sarah & Houellebecq, Michel (1993) "La Peau", Paris: Sarah Wiame.
• Wiame, Sarah & Houellebecq, Michel (1995) "La Ville", Paris: Sarah Wiame.

Works on Michel Houellebecq

• Murielle Lucie Clément : Michel Houellebecq revisité (à paraître début 2007)
• Murielle Lucie Clément et Sabine van Wesemael (eds.) : Michel Houellebecq sous la loupe (à paraître 2007)
• Gavin Bowd (ed.) : Le Monde de Houellebecq (2006)
• Fernando Arrabal : Houellebecq (2005)
• Éric Naulleau : Au secours, Houellebecq revient ! (2005)
• Jean-François Patricola : Michel Houellebecq ou la provocation permanente (2005)
• Denis Demonpion : Houellebecq non autorisé, enquête sur un phénomène (2005)
• Sabine van Wesemael : Michel Houellebecq, le plaisir du texte (2005)
• Olivier Bardolle : La Littérature à vif (Le cas Houellebecq) (2004)
• Sabine van Wesemael (ed.) : Michel Houellebecq (2004)
• Dominique Noguez : Houellebecq, en fait (2003)
• Murielle Lucie Clément : Houellebecq, Sperme et sang (2003)
• Thomas Steinfeld : Das Phänomen Houellebecq (2001)

External links

• Official homepage
• Fan club
• "90% Hateful" by John Updike, The New Yorker, May 15 2006
• "A dog's life (poodles excepted)" by Michael Worton, The Guardian, October 29 2005
• "L'Étranger in a Strange Land: Michel Houellebecq's Weekend in L.A." by Brendan Bernhard, LA Weekly, June 2005
• The man can't help it - The Guardian, August 31, 2002.
  • In-depth interview.
• An essay on Houellebecq and critical theory
• The Possibility of An Island Reviews & Scores at Metacritic.com