André Gide

Born in Paris on November 22, 1869, André Gide grew up in a Protestant family and began writing at an early age. His work ranged from early Symbolist writing to psychologically probing novels, autobiographical works, essays, journals, and travel books.

Among his best-known works are The Immoralist, Strait Is the Gate, The Vatican Cellars, The Pastoral Symphony, The Counterfeiters, and The Fruits of the Earth. He was also an important literary and political voice between the two World Wars, writing critically about imperialism and publicly examining the tensions between personal freedom and social convention.

Gide received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1947 for writings praised for their artistic significance, psychological insight, and fearless search for truth. He died in Paris on February 19, 1951.