Calixthe Beyala


Calixthe Beyala is a Cameroonian-French writer who writes in French.

Biography

A Cameroonian author and member of the Eton people, Calixthe Beyala was born in Sa'a to Cameroonian parents.
Her aunt and grandmother were particularly strong influences on her development, and she grew up listening to her grandmother's stories. Stories in which she drew inspiration from and used to motivate her to work hard toward the creation of a meaningful career.
Beyala was educated at the École Principale du Camp Mboppi in Douala and went on to study at the Lycée des Rapides à Bangui and the Lycée Polyvalent de Douala.
She eventually won a scholarship to study in Paris at the age of seventeen, where she through a strong academic performance obtained a baccalaureate.
After a few years in Spain she published her first book, C'est le soleil qui m'a brûlée, at the age of 23 and eventually chose to become a full-time writer.

Awards