Anit Epic

The novel revolves around the French activist Anette de Pumanoar (1923 – 2022) who joined the Communist Youth Organization, then the French Resistance against Nazi occupation during World War II. After that, she joined the Algerian Resistance movement that was fighting for Algeria's independence from France, and she was sentenced to ten years in prison for her participation in the liberation war alongside the Algerians, then she was a member of Ben Bella's government before she escaped again — this time to Switzerland — where she worked as a neurologist. The author, Veber, chose to narrate the life of Ann Pumanoar in a manner close to Greek epics, because her life is no less heroic than those legendary heroes. The novel has been translated into many languages, and it won the German Book Prize in 2020, and the reasons for awarding the prize included: "The story written by Veber in its strength is no less than the strength of its heroine: it is astonishing how the old epic form appears fresh here, and how lightly Veber was able to condense the life of Ann Pumanoar, the fighter in the French Resistance, and turn it into a novel about courage, resilience of resistance, and the struggle for freedom. 'Anette's Epic' is a story full of hardships, but Veber narrates it with an unparalleled sensitivity and a wonderful subtle sarcasm. We are grateful to Veber because she discovered Ann and told us her story." Author: Neve Veber