André Aciman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
André Aciman
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Aciman in 2017
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| Born | 2 January 1951 Alexandria, Egypt |
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| Period | 1995–present |
| Genre | Short story, novel, essay, romance |
| Notable work | Call Me by Your Name (2007) |
| Spouse | Susan Wiviott |
| Children | 3, including Alexander |
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André Aciman (born on January 2, 1951) is a well-known Italian-American writer. He was born and grew up in Alexandria, Egypt. Today, he is a respected professor at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. There, he teaches about the history of how we understand literature and the works of a famous writer named Marcel Proust.
Before this, Aciman taught creative writing at New York University. He also taught French literature at Princeton University and Bard College. In 2009, he was a special visiting writer at Wesleyan University.
André Aciman has written several novels. One of his most famous books is Call Me by Your Name (published in 2007). This book was later made into a movie. He also wrote a memoir called Out of Egypt in 1995, which won an award. Even though Call Me by Your Name is very popular, Aciman has said that he thinks his novel Eight White Nights is his best work.
Contents
Early Life and Education
André Aciman was born in Alexandria, Egypt. His parents were Regine and Henri N. Aciman. His father owned a factory that made knitted goods. Aciman's mother was deaf.
Family Background and Languages
Aciman grew up in a home where French was spoken most often. However, his family also spoke Italian, Greek, Ladino, and Arabic. His parents were Sephardi Jews. This means they were Jewish people whose families came from Turkey and Italy. They had moved to Alexandria in 1905.
His family was considered part of the "foreign" community in Egypt. This meant they could not become Egyptian citizens. When he was a child, Aciman thought he was a French citizen by mistake. He went to British schools in Egypt.
Leaving Egypt and Moving to America
Even though his family was safe during the events of 1956–57, life became difficult for Jewish people in Egypt. This was because of rising tensions with Israel under President Gamal Abdel Nasser. So, in 1965, nine years later, his family decided to leave Egypt.
Aciman's father bought Italian citizenship for the family. Then, Aciman moved with his mother and brother to Rome as refugees. His father moved to Paris. In 1968, they all moved to New York City.
Aciman studied English and Comparative Literature at Lehman College, earning his first degree in 1973. He then went on to get his master's degree and PhD in Comparative Literature from Harvard University in 1988.
Out of Egypt Memoir
Aciman's memoir, Out of Egypt, was published in 1996. It tells the story of Alexandria before many people were forced to leave Egypt in 1956. Many people reviewed the book.
What Critics Said About the Book
Michiko Kakutani, writing for The New York Times, called the book a "remarkable memoir." She said it painted a "mesmerizing portrait of a now vanished world." She compared his writing to that of Lawrence Durrell. She also noted that the book has "wonderfully vivid scenes," which she found as "strange and marvelous as something in García Márquez."
Personal Life and Family
André Aciman is married to Susan Wiviott. They have three sons. One of their sons, Alexander, is a writer and journalist. They also have twin sons named Philip and Michael.
Susan Wiviott's Career
His wife, Susan Wiviott, studied at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Harvard Law School. She is the CEO of The Bridge, Inc. This is a nonprofit organization in New York City that helps people with rehabilitation services. She is also on the board of directors for Kadmon Holdings, Inc.. Before this, she worked as Chief Program Officer at Palladia and Deputy Executive Vice President at JBFCS.
Awards and Recognition
André Aciman has received several awards for his writing.
- 1995 Whiting Award
- 2007 Lambda Literary Award
See also
In Spanish: André Aciman para niños
