Nicolas Dickner

Dickner, Nicolas

Nicolas Dickner, writer (b at Rivière-du-Loup, Qué 1972). After studies in literature and the visual arts, Nicolas Dickner found himself travelling in South America, where he held diverse positions in the not-for-profit sector (Dominican Republic), and as a website designer (Peru). In 2000 he published a first short story collection, L'encyclopédie du petit cercle, which was well received by critics and won the Prix Adrienne-Choquette and the Prix Jovette-Bernier (2001). In 2003, Dickner earned a one-year residency as a guest author in Bamberg, Germany in collaboration with the Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec. In 2005, he published Nikolski, a novel acclaimed by both the public and the literary community. This work presents a tangle of colourful characters and animals, and has been translated into 8 languages. Besides recognition for its author, it won the Prix Anne-Hébert, the Prix littéraire des collégiens, and the Prix des libraires du Québec (all in 2006). Moreover, Dickner was honoured as a GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARD finalist, and as a finalist for the Grand prix littéraire Archambault. In 2009, Tarmac - about an anticipated escape from the Apocalypse for a mother and her daughter in Rivière-du-Loup - was released. The following year the novel appeared as Apocalypse for Beginners in a translation by Lazer Lederhendler, who had also produced an award-winning English translation of Nikolski. Complementing his work as a writer, Nicolas Dickner participates in literary events in Québec and in Europe, and collaborates on the weekly newspaper Voir as a literary columnist.