author
Emmanuel Bourcier
1880–1955
A French novelist and journalist shaped by military service, colonial campaigns, and the trenches of World War I. His writing blends firsthand experience with vivid historical storytelling, from wartime memoirs to novels and stage works.
2 Audiobooks
Under the German shells
by Emmanuel Bourcier
Les grandes enquêtes de Mega Sulvan
by Emmanuel Bourcier
About the author
Born in Paris on September 19, 1880, Emmanuel Bourcier was a French writer, novelist, and journalist. He served in the military from 1898, taking part in campaigns in Indochina, China, and Algeria, including the 1900 expedition against the Boxer uprising. After returning to civilian life, he worked for several newspapers and began publishing novels and nonfiction inspired by his experiences.
Recalled to service in August 1914, Bourcier spent 37 months in the trenches during World War I. He later co-founded the trench newspaper Le Cri de Guerre with Roland Dorgelès and became active in veterans’ organizations. His wartime account Under the German Shells was published in English in 1918.
Bourcier received the Prix Montyon in 1916 for Les gens de la mer and the Prix de Jouy in 1923 for Paul, mon frère. His later work included La cage aux femmes, La Guerre du Tonkin, Le Bois d’Ébène, and the one-act play L’absolution. He died in Paris on March 28, 1955.