Milan Kundera (UK: /ˈkʊndərə, ˈkʌn-/ KU(U)N-dər-ə; Czech: [ˈmɪlan ˈkundɛra]; 1 April 1929 – 11 July 2023) was a writer from the Czech Republic and France. In 1975, Kundera left his home country and moved to France. He became a French citizen in 1981.
Arthur Koestler CBE (UK: /ˈkɜːstlər/, US: /ˈkɛst-/, German: [ˈaʁtuːɐ̯ ˈkœstlɐ], Hungarian: Kösztler Artúr [ˈkøstlɛr ˈɒrtuːr]; 5 September 1905 – 1 March 1983) was an author and journalist born in Austria-Hungary. He was born in Budapest and studied in Austria, except for his early years in school. In 1931, he joined the Communist Party of Germany but left in 1938 after becoming unhappy with Stalin’s ideas.
Romain Gary (born Roman Leibovich Kacew; May 21, 1914 [Old Style May 8] – December 2, 1980), also known by the pen name Émile Ajar, was a Lithuanian-born French novelist, diplomat, film director, and military pilot. He is the only author to have won the Prix Goncourt twice (once under a pen name). He is considered a major writer in French literature of the second half of the 20th century.
Frederick Kambemba Yamusangie is a novelist, playwright, and poet who was born and grew up part of the time in Zaire (now known as the Democratic Republic of Congo) in Africa. He studied communication engineering at the University of Kent at Canterbury in England and now lives in London. He is the author of Full Circle, a literary novel set in Congo.
Valentin-Yves Mudimbe was born on December 8, 1941, and passed away on April 22, 2025. He was a Congolese philosopher, academic, and writer who created poems, novels, and books about African culture and history. Mudimbe worked as a professor of Romance Studies and comparative literature at Duke University.
Sony Lab’ou Tansi (July 5, 1947 – June 14, 1995), born Marcel Ntsoni, was a Congolese writer who wrote novels, short stories, plays, and poems in French. Even though he was only 47 years old when he died, Tansi was one of the most productive African writers and the most well-known writer associated with the “New African Writing” movement. His novel The Antipeople won the Grand Prix Littéraire d’Afrique Noire.
Maguy (Margaret) Rashidi Kabamba was born on August 3, 1960. She is a writer and translator from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree focused on Translation from York University in Toronto, Canada.
Jeannette Balou Tchichelle was a writer from the Republic of the Congo and France. She was born in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. In 1969, she moved to France and lived there with her three sons.
Alain Mabanckou was born on February 24, 1966. He is a writer, reporter, poet, and teacher. He is a French citizen who was born in the Republic of the Congo.
Henri Lopes was born on September 12, 1937, and passed away on November 2, 2023. He was a writer, diplomat, and politician from the Republic of the Congo. From 1973 to 1975, he served as the Prime Minister of Congo-Brazzaville.