Maalouf takes Asturias prize for letters

The Prince of Asturias Award for Letters has gone to Lebanese born writer Amin Maalouf.

Maalouf’s novels include “The Rock of Tanios” and “The Gardens of life,” and draw on his experiences of civil war and migration.

His characters often find themselves in conflict with the dominant beliefs of their surroundings.

Maalouf lives in France and writes in French, but his works have been translated into more than 20 languages.

The 50,000 euro prize, in the name of the Crown Prince of Spain, is chosen by a jury of experts from a shortlist of worldwide nominations.

The winner is required to have made a significant contribution to universal culture in the fields of literature or linguistics.

Copyright © 2012 euronews