Dominique Mainard is a French translator of English novels, short story writer and novelist. She was born in Paris, France, in 1967 and grew up in the region of Lyon, and spent five years in the United States. She won the 2009 Prix des Libraires (Booksellers Prize) for her novel Pour vous (For You). Mainard spent 2005 - 2006 as a resident of the Randell Cottage Writers' Trust in Wellington, New Zealand. Her book Leur histoire was adapted for the 2005 film Les Mots bleus by director Alain Corneau with actors Sergi López and Sylvie Testud.
Biography Dominique Mainard grew up in the Lyon area and spent five years in the United States.
She has published novels and short stories, and has also translated works by authors such as Janet Frame and John Cheever from English.
In 2008, she published her first young adult novel, Ma vie en 17 pieds. Dorothée Copel, avis critique de l'ouvrage, La Revue des livres pour enfants, 15 avril 2008 ; repris sur la notice BnF de l'ouvrage. According to Martine Laval of Télérama: “We find Mainard’s signature style here: finesse and delicacy, a sharp-eyed view of the world of childhood and adolescence, so present in her writing. Even for children, Mainard writes in her own style: abandonment, loneliness, emptiness, and that tenacious desire to fight on despite everything.”
Works
Translations
English novels, including authors John Cheever and Janet Frame
Collections of short stories
Le Grenadier (1997), Gallimard La Maison des fatigués Editions Joëlle Losfeld Le Second Enfant. Prix Prométhée de la nouvelle (Prometheus Prize for Novels)
Novels Le Grand Fakir (2001), EditionsJoelle Losfeld Leur histoire (2002), Joëlle Losfeld editions. Fnac Novel Prize and Alain-Fournier Prize.
Le Ciel des chevaux (2004), Editions Joelle Losfeld Je voudrais tant que tu te souviennes (2007), Joëlle Losfeld editions. France Culture Book Award - Télérama 2007. There is an Italian translation by Edizioni Saecula Pour vous (2008), Joëlle Losfeld editions. Booksellers Award 2009.
Novella La Vie en rose (2007), Éditions du Chemin de fer
Youth Ma vie en 17 pieds (2008), L'École des loisirs
References