GuÈNE, Faïza 1985-

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GuÈNE, Faïza 1985-

PERSONAL:

Born 1985, in Bobigny, France. Education: Attended the University of Paris.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Courtillières, Pantin, France.

CAREER:

Writer and filmmaker.

WRITINGS:

Kiffe Kiffe Demain, Hachette Littèratures (Paris, France), 2004, translation by Sarah Adams published as Kiffe Kiffe Tomorrow, Harcourt (Orlando, FL), 2006.

(And director) Rien que des mots (screenplay), Ne Xus Films, 2005.

Kiffe Kiffe Demain has been translated into twenty-six languages, including English, Japanese, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, and Italian.

SIDELIGHTS:

As a teenager growing up in the public housing projects of Paris, France, Faïza Guène took up writing as a hobby, contributing to her school newspaper and directing short films for a local cultural center. The center's director recognized her talent and submitted a writing sample to a major publishing house. At the age of seventeen Guène was approached by Hachette Littératures to write a full-length novel. Kiffe Kiffe Demain was published by Hachette in 2004 and became an instant hit, ultimately being translated into twenty-six languages. Although Guène borrowed from many of her own experiences to color the story, the book's protagonist is a fictional character. The fifteen-year-old child of immigrant Muslims, Doria experiences typical teenage struggles that are complicated by the issues of racism, classism, and sexism.

In a review for Booklist, Hazel Rochman described Kiffe Kiffe Demain as "touching, furious, sharp, and very funny." A Publishers Weekly contributor commented: "This small novel reads like a quiet celebration within a chaotic ghetto." Eleanor J. Bader wrote in a review for Library Journal: "Humor is abundant, despite the grim themes, and Doria is a compelling protagonist." The book was described as a "feisty, invigorating debut" by Entertainment Weekly writer Lisa Schwarzbaum, and a "cunning wonder" by John Leonard for Harper's Magazine.