Baroness Fabienne Claire Nothomb (; born 13 August 1967État présent de la noblesse belge, éditions of 1979, 1995 and 2010. Her birth is announced in n° 87, aout 1967, p. 340 of the Bulletin de l'association de la noblesse du royaume de Belgique, publication trimestrielle : Annonces de naissance : "Baron et Baronne Patrick Nothomb : Fabienne, 13 août 1967".), better known by her pen name Amélie Nothomb (), is a Belgian Francophone novelist.
Since the publication of her first novel Hygiene and the Assassin in 1992 at the age of twenty-six, Nothomb has published a book a year, and is regularly among the best selling French Language authors according to the Complete Review. She is a Commander of the Order of the Crown and has had the title of Baroness bestowed upon her by King Philippe of Belgium. Her satirical novel about corporate life in Japan Fear and Trembling won the Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française in 1999, and in 2015 she was elected to the Royal Academy of French Language and Literature in Belgium.
Biography Amélie Nothomb was born in Etterbeek, Brussels-Capital Region on 9 July 1966, although she has claimed to have been born in Kobe, Japan in 1967, whereas records show her living there only from ages two to five. Subsequently, she lived in China, New York City, Bangladesh, Burma, the United Kingdom (Coventry) and Laos. She stems from a Belgian noble family. Her father was the Belgian diplomat Patrick Nothomb, and she is the grandniece of Charles-Ferdinand Nothomb, a Belgian foreign minister (1980–1981), and great-granddaughter of writer and politician Pierre Nothomb. She has one brother (André Nothomb) and one sister, Juliette Nothomb, who is an author of culinary and children's books.
While in Japan, Nothomb attended a local school and learned Japanese. When she was five, the family moved to China. She remarked in Fear and Trembling that leaving Japan was "a wrenching separation for me".
She studied philology at the Université libre de Bruxelles, initially planning to become a teacher After having finished her studies, Nothomb returned to Japan to work in a Japanese company in Tokyo.
Writing career Nothomb's first novel, Hygiène de l'assassin, was published in 1992. Since then, she has published approximately one novel per year, including Les Catilinaires (1995), Fear and Trembling (1999) and Métaphysique des tubes (2000). She has been awarded numerous prizes, including the 1993 Prix Jacques-Chardonne, the 1999 Grand Prix du roman de l'Académie française, the Grand prix Jean Giono (2008), and since 2015 has been a member of the Belgium Royal Academy of French language and literature.
She wrote a romanticized biography (The Book of Proper Names) of French female singer Robert in 2002 and during the period 2000–2002 wrote the lyrics for nine tracks by the same artist.
A documentary — Amélie Nothomb: une vie entre deux eaux (A Life between two Waters) — co-written and directed by Laurelinne Amanieux and Luca Chiari, about Nothombs return to Japan was made in 2012.
Iin The Life of Hunger, and then in more detail in her book Psychopompe she describes to have been victim of rape at the age of twelve on a beach while living in Bangladesh, and she recounts in Le Livre des soeurs how she subsequently fought anorexia nervosa.
By a Royal Decree of 8 July 2015, Nothomb was ennobled as a non-hereditary baroness.(fr)ejustice.just.fgov.be, July 17 - 2015, ejustice.just.fgov.be(fr)Voici les nouveaux nobles, Le Soir, July 17- 2015
Her novel Premier sang depicts the fictional memoirs of her father, who had died in 2020, written in the first person. The book won the Prix Renaudot 2021.
Personality and quirks
Writing process In a 2004 interview in La Libre Belgique, Nothomb stated that she writes four novels a year but publishes only one, not wanting the others to come out. She writes all her manuscripts rigorously by hand with a ballpoint pen in notebooks everyday from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. "I do what I can to achieve it (serenity) by waking up every morning at 4 a.m. to write, to pursue to the utmost my passions, my urges, my inner violence, my energy and my endeavors." After that, she goes to her publishing house to reply to her readers, also in handwritten form. She receives several dozen letters from readers every day, and says that she tries to answer most of them personally.
She has claimed to own neither a computer nor a mobile phone.
She has stated in a podcast that when writing she only drinks black tea before lunch, stating that "strong tea on an empty stomach, in large quantities and with no milk or sugar, procures a state of dry and controllable inebriety, as well as the energy I need to write" and drinks Champagne after lunch. She had a period of abstinence from alcohol between the age of 13 and 33 in which she was struggling with her mental health. Perception Nothomb is notorious for her dramatic appearance, with bold fashion choices and contrasting makeup (alabaster foundation and red lipstick), sometimes appearing in striking hats and her makeup showing a Japanese influence.
She frequently discusses her presumed neurodivergent traits and frequently portrays characters with autistic traits. She lacks an official clinical diagnosis, stating "Several people have asked me if I am autistic. Maybe I am. But what is the point?" Her work The Character of Rain covers her early years and explores this.
Activities and honors She is an animal rights advocate and was once honorary president of CRAC, an international anti-bullfighting organization. The International Astronomical Union named an asteroid "Nothomb" in her honor in 2006.
Titles and academic distinctions
By order of the sovereign Albert II, King of Belgium, on 9 July 2008, Amélie Nothumb was granted the distinguished honor of Commander of the Order of the Crown.
By sovereign order, 8 July 2015, Madame Fabienne Claire, also known as Amélie Nothumb, was granted the personal title of Baronness.Moniteur Belge, 17 juillet 2015, p.46530. 2018
In 2015, Nothomb was elected a member of the Académie royale de langue et de littérature françaises de Belgique. She was chosen "by a vast majority" for "the importance of the work, her originality and her consistency, and her international influence," explained Jacques De Decker, the academy's permanent secretary. She assumed the seat of the Belgian writer and sinologist Simon Leys, whom she has praised with feeling.
Bibliography (works written by her) + Published(in French) Type Original title English title English publication details 1992 novel Hygiene and the Assassin Europa Editions, hardback, 2010 1993 novel Loving Sabotage W. W. Norton & Co, hardback, 2000, Faber and Faber, paperback, 2003, 1993 tale (Longue Vue) 1994 play Human Rites Oberon Books, paperback, 2005, 1995 novel The Stranger Next Door Holt (Henry) & Co, hardback, 1996, 1996 novel Péplum 1996 14 pages short story (Stock) 1996 short story (La Revue Générale) 1997 novel Attentat 1998 novel Mercure 1999 novel Fear and Trembling Faber and Faber, paperback, 2002, 1999 39 pages short story () 2000 novel The Character of Rain Faber and Faber, paperback, 2003, 2000 3 tales (La Pierre d'Alun) 2001novel The Enemy's Cosmetique 2001 2 pages short story 2001 64 pages short story (Elle) 2002 novel The Book of Proper Names Faber and Faber, paperback, 2004, 2003 novel Antichrista Faber and Faber, paperback, 2004, 2004 46 pages short story (Elle) 2004 novel The Life of Hunger Faber and Faber, hardback, 2006 2005 novel Sulphuric Acid Faber and Faber, hardback, 2007 2006 novel Journal d'Hirondelle 2007 novel Tokyo Fiancée Europa Editions, hardback, 2008 2007 short story in 9 episodes 2008 novel The Prince's Act Éditions Albin Michel 2009novel The Winter Journey Éditions Albin Michel 2010 novel Life FormEuropa Editions, hardback 2011 novel Éditions Albin Michel 2012 novel Éditions Albin Michel 2013 novel Éditions Albin Michel 2014 novel Pétronille Europa Editions, paperback, 20152015novelLe Crime du comte NevilleÉditions Albin Michel2016novelRiquet à la houppeÉditions Albin Michel2017novelFrappe-toi le cœurStrike your HeartÉditions Albin Michel, Europa Editions Review, Washington post, Amélie Nothomb is a must-read author in France. ‘Strike Your Heart’ shows why by Michele Langevine Leiby, Sept 10. 20182018novelLes prénoms épicènesÉditions Albin Michel2019novelSoif ThirstEuropa Editions, 2020novelLes aérostatsÉditions Albin Michel, 2021novelPremier sang First Blood Europa Editions2022novelLe livre des sœursÉditions Albin Michel2023novelÉditions Albin Michel, 2024novelL'impossible retourÉditions Albin Michel, 2025novelTant mieuxÉditions Albin Michel, Unless otherwise stated, all works were originally published in French by Éditions Albin Michel.
Adaptations Film adaptations 1999: Hygiène de l'assassin (Hygiene and the Assassin), French movie directed by François Ruggieri, with Jean Yanne (Prétextat Tach) and Barbara Schulz (Nina). 2003: Stupeur et tremblements (Fear and Trembling), French movie directed by Alain Corneau with Sylvie Testud (Amélie) and Kaori Tsuji (Fubuki). 2014: Tokyo Fiancée, Belgian movie directed by Stefan Liberski with Pauline Etienne (Amélie) and Taichi Inoue (Rinri) 2021: A Perfect Enemy (adaptation of the novel, Cosmétique de l'ennemi), French movie directed by Kike Maíllo. 2025: Little Amélie or the Character of Rain, French animated film directed by Maïlys Vallade and Liane-Cho Han
Stage adaptations Le sabotage amoureux (English: Loving sabotage), Theater Le Ranelagh, Paris, 1999 With Valérie Mairesse, Pétronille de Saint-Rapt, Vanessa Jarry Direction: Annabelle Milot Le sabotage amoureux (Loving Sabotage), Theater Daniel-Sorano, Vincennes, 2003–2005 With Pauline Foschia, Jeanne Gougeau, Laurence Vielle Adaptation et direction: Brigitte Bailleux, Laurence Vielle Cosmétique de l'ennemi (The Enemy's Cosmetique), "La Compagnie des Sept Lieux", Suisse, 2003–2008 With John Durand and Olivier Renault Adaptation and direction: Emmanuel Samatani and Jean-Daniel Uldry Les combustibles (Human Rites), Theater Daniel-Sorano, Vincennes, March – April 2008 With Michel Boy, Julie Turin, Grégory Gerrebo Direction: Stéphane Cottin Métaphysique des tubes (The Character of Rain), 2007–2009 With Cécile Schletzer and Claire Rieussec Direction: Claire Rieussec Hygiène de l'assassin (Hygiene and the Assassin), Theater of Namur and Theater "le Public", Bruxelles, September – October 2008 With Daniel Hanssens, Nathalie Cornet, Valérie Marchand and Vincent Lécuyer Direction: Pierre Santini Biographie de la Faim (The Life of Hunger), Theater of "La Place des Martyrs", Bruxelles, April – May 2009 With Nathalie Cornet, Michel Hinderyckx, Jessica Gazon, Stéphanie Blanchoud... Adaptation and direction: Christine Delmotte Les Combustibles (Human Rites), Theater of Nesle, Paris, 16 September 2010 – 2 October 2010 With Philippe Doré, Freddy Zimmer, Florine Moreau Direction: Hubert Vinzani Stupeur et Tremblements (Fear and Trembling), Theater "Le Petit Hébértot", Paris, 18 March 2011 – 22 May 2011 With Layla Metssitane Adaptation and direction: Layla Metssitane
Audio books Eight of Amélie Nothomb's novels were adapted in the form of audio books, the first four were published by the editions "VDB", the others by "Audiolib" : Robert des noms propres (=The Book of Proper Names): Amélie Nothomb (author) and Véronique Groux de Miéri (narrator), La Roque-sur-Pernes, "Éditions VDB", 1 March 2003 () (Note BNF (FRENCH NATIONAL LIBRARY) no FRBNF39186856q). Support: 3 audio CD (lasted: 3:15 am min, complete text), ref. V.D.B. 008. Antéchrista (=Antichrista): Amélie Nothomb (author) and Véronique Groux de Miéri (narrator), La Roque-sur-Pernes, "Éditions VDB", 1 March 2004 () (Note BNF (FRENCH NATIONAL LIBRARY) no FRBNF412025642). Support: 3 audio CD (lasted: 2:52 am min, complete text), ref. V.D.B. 033. Musical illustration: Thierry Duhamel.