Michel Zévaco

Born in Ajaccio, Corsica, on February 1, 1860, Michel Zévaco was a French writer and journalist whose career moved from political activism into popular fiction. He was involved in libertarian and socialist journalism, and his sharp, anti-clerical views made him a vivid public voice before he became widely known as a novelist.

Zévaco found his biggest audience through serialized historical adventures published in newspapers. The best known are the Les Pardaillan novels, energetic cape-and-sword tales full of duels, conspiracies, escapes, and bold heroes. He also wrote works such as Le Capitan and Nostradamus, helping shape the French popular historical novel in the early 20th century.

He died in Eaubonne on August 8, 1918. Though not always as widely remembered today as some of his contemporaries, his stories kept a loyal readership and were adapted for the screen, a sign of how durable his flair for action and suspense has been.