Jean Genet (French: [Ê'É'̃ Ê'É™nÉ›]; (1910-12-19)19 December 1910 â€"
(1986-04-15)15 April 1986) was a French novelist, playwright, poet,
essayist, and political activist. Early in his life he was a vagabond
and petty criminal, but he later took to writing. His major works
include the novels The Thief's Journal and Our Lady of the Flowers,
and the plays The Balcony, The Maids and The Screens.[1]Genet's mother
was a prostitute who raised him for the first seven months of his life
before placing him for adoption. Thereafter Genet was raised in the
provincial town of Alligny-en-Morvan, in the Nièvre department of
central France. His foster family was headed by a carpenter and,
according to Edmund White's biography, was loving and attentive. While
he received excellent grades in school, his childhood involved a
series of attempts at running away and incidents of petty theft.After
the death of his foster mother, Genet was placed with an elderly
couple but remained with them less than two years. According to the
wife, "he was going out nights and also seemed to be wearing makeup."
On one occasion he squandered a considerable sum of money, which they
had entrusted him for delivery elsewhere, on a visit to a local fair.
(1986-04-15)15 April 1986) was a French novelist, playwright, poet,
essayist, and political activist. Early in his life he was a vagabond
and petty criminal, but he later took to writing. His major works
include the novels The Thief's Journal and Our Lady of the Flowers,
and the plays The Balcony, The Maids and The Screens.[1]Genet's mother
was a prostitute who raised him for the first seven months of his life
before placing him for adoption. Thereafter Genet was raised in the
provincial town of Alligny-en-Morvan, in the Nièvre department of
central France. His foster family was headed by a carpenter and,
according to Edmund White's biography, was loving and attentive. While
he received excellent grades in school, his childhood involved a
series of attempts at running away and incidents of petty theft.After
the death of his foster mother, Genet was placed with an elderly
couple but remained with them less than two years. According to the
wife, "he was going out nights and also seemed to be wearing makeup."
On one occasion he squandered a considerable sum of money, which they
had entrusted him for delivery elsewhere, on a visit to a local fair.
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