Philippe Besson

Philippe Besson (born 29 January 1967 in Barbezieux-Saint-Hilaire, Charente) is a French novelist, playwright and screenwriter. Trained as a lawyer and formerly a human-resources executive, he published his first novel, En l'absence des hommes, in 2001, winning the Prix Emmanuel-Roblès; his second, Son frère, was adapted for film by Patrice Chéreau in 2003.

He writes intimate, autobiographical fiction about memory, desire and loss, and became internationally known for Arrête avec tes mensonges (2017; published in English as Lie with Me, translated by Molly Ringwald), which was itself adapted for film and stage. His other novels include Un garçon d'Italie, Vivre vite, Le dernier enfant and the Lie with Me sequel The Summer Boy.