Henri Troyat

Born on November 1, 1911 in Moscow, Russian born French novelist, historian and biographer Lev Aslanovich Tarasov was raised in Paris. The story of his immigration from Russia across the Caucasus to Crimea and by sea to Istanbul and Venice and finally Paris is recounted in Tant que la terre durera.
Henri Troyat went on to receive his first literary honor when he was only 24. He received the Prix Goncourt when he was only 27. Troyat published more than 100 novels and biographies. Among his best known biographies are Leo Tolstoy, Catherine the Great, Fyodor Dostoyevsky and Rasputin.
Troyat's best loved work is La neige en dueil. This novel was translated into English and filmed in 1956 as The Mountain. He also is well known for Le chateau de la derniere chance in 1947 as well as Fire in the Straw in 1939.
Troyat was married to Marguerite Saintagne in 1948 until her death. They had one child. Troyat passed away on March 2, 2007 in Paris, France.