Description

"Poseidon's chariot is drawn by seahorses; the large trunk of the baobab rests on thin roots. The laws of the great only gain importance because the little ones dutifully obey them. Termites sometimes bring down mahogany trees. The size of an anthill depends on the number of small workers. And what would a royal court be without servants? Were it not for the small employers, the principle of "natives first!" would stand on feet of clay.”

Fatou Diome was born in Senegal in 1968 and raised by her grandmother. After various relocations due to her work and studies, she married a Frenchman at the age of 22 and followed him to Europe. Today she lives in France and is doing her doctorate in French language and literature at the University of Strasbourg.

She initially published several short stories. Her debut followed in 2003 The belly of the ocean (2003), for which she won the LiBeraturpreis in 2005.