GauZ' is an Ivorian author, journalist and screenwriter. After studying biochemistry, he moved to Paris as an undocumented student, working as a security guard before returning to the Cote d'Ivoire. His first novel, Standing Heavy, came out in 2014 and won the Prix des libraires Gibert Joseph, and was followed by Comrade Papa, which won the 2019 Prix Ethiophile, and Black Manoo. GauZ' is the editor-in-chief of the satirical economic newspaper News & co, and has written screenplays and documentary films.
Expect to see GauZ' back on the [International Booker] shortlist with this superlative work of fiction * TLS * Funny, ebullient, often chaotic . . . GauZ' was shortlisted for the International Booker prize for his novel Standing Heavy. Comrade Papa is even better -- John Self * Guardian * GauZ' breaks down the language of colonisation ... with marvellous linguistic invention. This book that made me laugh and smile is a post-colonial homage to Romain Gary's bestselling The Life Before Us * Le Monde * History writ large is interwoven with family history voiced by a child narrator. This novel is a deftly built explosive device * L'Express * The point of view transcends racial essentialisms to instead tell the story of people ... An expansive novel that is political without being self-righteous * Culturebox * A novel about the clash between cultures and languages ... GauZ's prose is intoxicating * Livres Hebdo * Audacious and inventive * Lire *