Early years - France and Sweden

The French writer Jeanne Cordelier was born in Paris in 1944. Her first novel, La Dérobade, was a literary and commercial success in France as well as abroad. It was translated into 19 languages. In English, the title is The Life, published in 1978 by Viking press and translated by Harry Mathews.

In 1980, the author left the Paris establishment, made her own choices, and founded a family in Sweden. She lived and worked in Sweden for seventeen years. Among her contributions to Swedish cultural life was her inspiring advisory role to the publishing house, Interculture, that specialised in translating French authors into Swedish. The list of publications by Interculture 1983-1997 is available: Interculture. Her son was 20 years of age in the year 2000. He has graduated from London School of Economics and Westminster University after studying international history and diplomacy.

Leaving Sweden

In 1997, Jeanne Cordelier and her family broke up from Sweden and started a period of living in developing countries, India, Vietnam, Ethiopia and Albania. By 2004, she returned to Europe to settle in a rural environment in the south-west of France. Restless always, Jeanne Cordelier has also lived in Belgium, Italy, United States, Canada, Vietnam, Ethiopia and Albania. She has spent time in 14 countries in Europe, eight countries in Asia, and six countries in Africa.

But where she prefers to be, is in the land of words. A country that, just like life itself, every day requires of us to improve. Just a matter of not forgetting that under the seat, whichever it is, there is no life vest.

Novel about Vietnam

During 1997-99 Jeanne Cordelier lived in Vietnam, which inspired a novel about Vietnam, Hanoi Blues. This novel, written in French, is the latest book of Jeanne Cordelier available in English. The translator is Marie Ramsland.