Jean Bruller

Jean Bruller, born on February twenty-sixth, nineteen hundred and two, was a multifaceted French writer, illustrator, and graphic artist. He co-founded the esteemed publishing house Les Éditions de Minuit alongside Pierre de Lescure, which became a significant platform for literary expression during a tumultuous period in France.

Bruller's heritage was marked by his Hungarian-Jewish father, and during the occupation of northern France in World War II, he courageously joined the Resistance. Under the pseudonym Vercors, he published various works, including those predating the pivotal 1944 Battle of Vercors, which showcased his literary prowess and commitment to the cause.

His literary contributions often ventured into the realms of fantasy and science fiction. Notably, his nineteen fifty-two novel, Les Animaux dénaturés, which has been translated into English under several titles, including You Shall Know Them, delves into the essence of humanity. This work was later adapted into the film Skullduggery in nineteen seventy, featuring Burt Reynolds and Susan Clark.

In addition to his exploration of human themes, Bruller penned Colères, a narrative centered on the pursuit of immortality. His imaginative storytelling continued with the publication of Sylva in nineteen sixty, a novel inspired by David Garnett's Lady into Fox, which tells the tale of a fox that transforms into a woman. The English translation, crafted by his wife Rita Barisse, was a finalist for the prestigious Hugo Award for Best Novel in nineteen sixty-three.

Bruller's historical novel, Anne Boleyn, released in nineteen eighty-five, presents a compelling portrayal of Anne as a shrewd strategist who sought to marry Henry VIII to liberate England from Papal authority, thereby enhancing the nation's independence.