Mark Lee
Biography
While still a student Mark Lee worked in a lighthouse overlooking the Atlantic where he found time to discover the joy of reading French literature. Now as professor at JIZZÊÓÆ” he teaches French language, literature and film, specializing in writers and filmmakers from the 1940s to the present. Especially interested in the art of writing, Dr. Lee has had the privilege to meet several of the authors he has studied. His PhD and first publications were on Nathalie Sarraute, Jean-Paul Sartre and the relationship between poetics and ethics, while his more recent research centres on questions of identity, erasure, the aesthetics of numbness and repetition in contemporary writers, notably AmĂ©lie Nothomb.
Dr. Lee was responsible for JIZZÊÓÆ”âs study abroad program at the UniversitĂ© de Strasbourg and initiated our participation in the Assistant dâanglais program where new graduates teach English for a year in France. He has directed numerous undergraduate honours theses at Mt. A, and served on MA and PhD thesis committees in France and Canada. He also reviews new fiction and critical works for a number of scholarly publications. Most recently, he co-organized an international conference in Paris on Nothomb with the University of Kent and Columbia University. His closing interview with Nothomb is viewable here:
Publications
Dr. Lee has published widely on the works of Nathalie Sarraute and Amélie Nothomb, as well as a number of other contemporary writers/filmmakers. He is a regular reviewer of new fiction for The French Review.
Books :
Mark D. Lee et Ana de Medeiros (dir.), IdentitĂ©, mĂ©moire, lieux. Le passĂ©, le prĂ©sent et l'avenir d'AmĂ©lie Nothomb , Paris, Classiques Garnier, coll. « Rencontres », n° 353, sĂ©rie « LittĂ©rature des XX e et XXI e siĂšcles » n° 33, 2018. ISBN 978-2-406-07168-6, 34 âŹ. Argument: Cette collection d'Ă©tudes accompagnĂ©e d'un entretien met au jour la richesse et la complexitĂ© d'une Ćuvre populaire en l'abordant selon les axes de la mĂ©moire, du lieu et de l'identitĂ©. Un ouvrage important pour situer et comprendre AmĂ©lie Nothomb dans l'extrĂȘme contemporain.
Les IdentitĂ©s dâAmĂ©lie Nothomb : de lâinvention mĂ©diatique aux fantasmes originaires. (Amsterdam/ New York: Rodopi, 2010). 295pp
Articles and Book Chapters :
ââEn bien ou en malâ: Prisons, crise, Nathacha Appanahâ. Book chapter to be published in Redefining Womanhood: Agency, Voice and Identity in Francophone Womenâs Cultural Production. Eds. C. Verdier, A. Pugh, V. Desnain. (Peter Lang).
"At a remove: The Curious State(lessness) of Migrant Mothering in Novels by Shumona Sinha and Nathacha Appanah." Contemporary Women's Writing, v.8, n.2 (December 2024), 32-50. .
âCrossing Boundaries External & Internal: The Writing Imaginary of Shumona Sinhaâ. Crossways, v.2, n.1 (2019) .
"Erasure and Re-inscription: Representing Trauma in Amélie Nothomb". Journal of Literature and Trauma Studies , v.5, n.2 (2016): 75-86. (published in July 2018)"
Séduction, transgression, reproduction: Amélie Nothomb et l'épistolaire" in Risques et Regrets: Les dangers de l'écriture épistolaire . Eds G. De Vivieros, M. Irvine, K. Schwerdtner. (Montréal, Nota Bene, 2015), 99-122.
"Re-viewing Varda's Le Bonheur (1964): Accident? Suicide? Or the Natural Order? That is the question". In AgnĂšs Varda Unlimited: Image, Music, Media . Ed. Marie-Claire Barnet. (Oxford, Legenda, 2016), 87-95.
"D'Hiroshima à Shibuya : Nothomb, Duras et les topiques de la fiction". In Le passé, le présent et le futur d'Amélie Nothomb . Eds. Mark Lee & Ana de Medeiros. Paris, Classiques Garnier, 2018. Pp. 25-34.
'Introduction'. In Le passé, le présent et le futur d'Amélie Nothomb . Eds. Mark Lee & Ana de Medeiros. Paris, Classiques Garnier, 2018. Pp. 7-11.
âAmĂ©lie Nothomb est un homme dangereuxâ in This âSelfâ Which Is Not One: Womenâs Life Writing in French. Eds Natalie Edwards, Christopher Hogarth. (Newcastle, Cambridge Scholars Press, 2010), 119-135.
âLâĂtranger chez AmĂ©lie Nothombâ in Francographies: IdentitĂ© et altĂ©ritĂ© dans les espaces francophones europĂ©ens. Eds Susan Bainbrigge, Caroline Verdier, Joy Charnley (New York: Peter Lang, 2010), 193-203.
âErnaux, Breton, Nadja: Dis-moi qui tu hantes... â in Annie Ernaux: Perspectives critiques. Sergio Villani, dir. (Toronto: Legas Publications, 2009), 159-166.
âLes Langues de Nathalie Sarrauteâ.&ČÔČúČő±è;Roman 20-50 (Winter, 2005): 91-111.
âAmĂ©lie Nothomb: Writing Childhoodâs End,â in AmĂ©lie Nothomb: Authorship, Identity and Narrative Practice. (New York: Peter Lang, 2003), 142-153.
âLearning to Let Go: Kieslowskiâs Trois couleurs: Bleuâ.&ČÔČúČő±è;The French Review 76.1 (October, 2002): 90-97.
âThe Last Word: Deathbed Scenes in the Works of Nathalie Sarrauteâ.&ČÔČúČő±è;LâEsprit crĂ©ateur XL,1 (Spring 2000): 47-57.
âLâĂcriture et la vie: Nathalie Sarrauteâ.&ČÔČúČő±è;Dalhousie French Studies 47 (Summer 1999): 143-154.
"Sarraute et la peinture: Judging a Book by its Cover". The French Review 71.4 (March, 1998): 585-597.
"Tropismes: le rĂ©el comme rythme de l'histoire". Ătudes littĂ©raires 29.1 (ĂtĂ©, 1996): 11-20.
"Tu ne t'aimes pas: Les voies de l'amour". Thirty Voices in the Feminine. (Atlanta: Ăditions Rodopi, 1996): 42-49.
"Nathalie Sarraute: Aesthetics and Asthenics". Women in French Studies (Fall, 1994): 102-110.
Publications: Review Essay:
âBreaking Boundaries in Contemporary Womenâs Writing: From Disgust to Experiment and Experienceâ, in Contemporary Womenâs Writing 10.1 (March, 2016): 136-140. doi: 10.1093/cww/vpv018. A peer-reviewed essay on Katie Jones, Representing Repulsion: The Aesthetics of Disgust in Contemporary Womenâs Writing in French and German. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2013, and Gill Rye and Amaleena DamlĂ©, Experiment and Experience Womenâs Writing in France 2000â2010. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2013
Publications: Literary Interviews:
âEntretien avec AmĂ©lie Nothombâ.&ČÔČúČő±è;The French Review 77.3 (February, 2004): 562-575.
'D'hier à aujourd'hui. Entretien avec Amélie Nothomb'. In Le passé, le présent et le futur d'Amélie Nothomb . Eds. Mark Lee & Ana de Medeiros. Paris, Classiques Garnier, 2018. Pp. 233-250.
Publications: Critical Reviews:
Sarabandes X, a novel by Corentin Durand. Forthcoming in The French Review.
L'impossible retour, a work by Amélie Nothomb. Forthcoming in The French Review.
Les rives de la mer Douce, a work by Laura Alcoba. Forthcoming in The French Review.
Ce que je sais de toi, a novel by Ăric Chacour. The French Review 98.1 (October 2024): 130.
La mémoire délavée, a work by Nathacha Appanah. The French Review 97.4 (May 2024): 125-126.
Psychopompe, a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review 97.3 (March 2024): 144.
Quatre-vingt-quinze, a novel by Philippe Joanny. The French Review 97.2 (December 2023): 175.
Lâautre nom du bonheur Ă©tait français, a work by Shumona Sinha. Forthcoming in The French Review.
Lâhomme qui danse, a novel by Victor Jestin. The French Review 97.1 (October 2023): 241.
Le Livre des sĆurs, a novel by AmĂ©lie Nothomb. The French Review 96,4 (May 2023): 245.
La plus secrÚte mémoire des hommes, a novel by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. The French Review 96.3 (March 2023): 238.
Rien ne tâappartient, a novel by Nathacha Appanah. The French Review 96.1 (December 2022): 200-201.
La vie des morts, a novel by Jean-Marie Laclavetine. The French Review 96.1 (October 2022): 241.
Premier sang, a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review 95.4 (May 2022): 257.
MĂȘme les anges, a novel by ChristĂšle Wurmser. The French Review 95.3 (March 2022): 263.
łąâałŸŸ±, a novel by Tiffany Tavernier. The French Review 95.2 (December 2021): 273.
Le Testament russe, a novel by Shumona Sinha. The French Review. 94.4 (May 2021): 244.
Soif, a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review. 94. 2 (October 2020): 263-264.
La nuit ne dure pas, a novel by Jules Gassot. The French Review. 93. 4 (May 2020): 243-244.
Une année lumiÚre, a collection of essays by Nathacha Appanah. The French Review. 93, 2 (December 2019): 210-211.
LâIntertextualitĂ© dans lâĂ©criture de Nathalie Sarraute, a critical work by Rainier Rocchi. Modern Language Review, v114. 3 (July 2019): 571-572.
Le livre dâAmray, a novel by Yahia Belaskri. The French Review. 92, 4 (May 2019): 229-230.
Les visages pales, a novel by Solonge Bied-Charreton. The French Review. 92, 1 (October 2018): 201.
Frappe-toi le coeur , a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review. 91.4 (May 2018): 217.
Apatride , a novel by Shumona Sinha. The French Review. 91.3 (March 2018): 253.
Chanson douce , a novel by LeĂŻla Slimani. The French Review. 91.2 (December 2017): 265-266.
L'Astronome dur Ă cuire , a novel by Jonathan Ruel. The French Review. 91.1 (October 2017): 276.
Riquet à la houppe , a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review. 90.4 (May 2017): 282.
Vie et Ćuvre de Constantin Erod , a novel by Julien Donadille. The French Review. 90.3 (March 2017): 203-204.
Nouvel an chinois , a novel by Koffi Kwahulé. The French Review. 89, 4 (May 2016): 261-262
La route de Beit Zera, a novel by Hubert Mingarelli. The French Review. 89, 3 (March 2016): 274-275
±ÊĂ©łÙ°ùŽÇČÔŸ±±ô±ô±đ, a novel by AmĂ©lie Nothomb. The French Review. 89,2 (December 2015): 278-279.
Calcutta, a novel by Shumona Sinha. The French Review. 89,1 (October 2015): 209-210.
Regarde les lumiĂšres mon amour, a work by Annie Ernaux. The French Review. 88,4 (May 2015): 220.
Le DĂ©samour, a novel by Antonia Kerr. The French Review. 88,2 (December 2014): 267-268.
Le roman de Boddah, a novel by HĂ©loĂŻse Guay de Bellissen. The French Review. 88,1 (October 2014): 267-268.
La nostalgie heureuse, a novel by Amélie Nothomb.The French Review. 87, 4 (May 2014): 264-265.
La premiĂšre chose quâon regarde, a novel by GrĂ©goire Delacourt. The French Review. 87,3 (March 2014): 200.
Je vais mieux, a novel by David Foenkinos. The French Review. 87,2. (December 2013): 272-273.
Subjects Not-at-home:Forms of the Uncanny in the Contemporary French Novel, A critical study by Daisy Connon. Dalhousie French Studies. v.99 (Summer 2012):128-129.
LâHerbe des nuits, a novel by Patrick Modiano. The French Review 87,1 (October 2013): 275.
Barbe bleue and Les Myrtilles, two works by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review. 86, 5 (May 2013): 1295-1296.
LâArt français de la guerre, a novel by Alexis Jenni. The French Review. 86,4 (March 2013): 790-791
Des vies dâoiseaux, a novel by VĂ©ronique OlvadĂ©. The French Review. 86,3 (February 2013): 610-611.
Tuer le pÚre, a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review. 86,2 (November 2012): 425-426.
LâAutre fille, a work by Annie Ernaux. The French Review. 86,1 (October 2012): 218.
Le Sel, a novel by Jean-Baptiste Del Amo. The French Review. 85 5 (April 2012):983-984.
Des fleurs pour Zoë, a novel by Antonia Kerr. The French Review. 85, 4 (March 2012): 788-789.
Crime dâamour, a film by Alain Corneau. The French Review. 85, 2 (December 2011): 371-372.
Une Forme de vie,a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review. 85, 2 (December 2011): 404.
łąâA°ùČÔČ賊ŽÇ±đłÜ°ù, a film by Pascal Chaumeil. The French Review. 84, 6 (May 2011):1302-1303.
Le Premier amour, a novel by VĂ©ronique Olmi. The French Review. 84, 6 (May 2011): 1339-1340.
Un Roman français,a novel by Frédéric Beigbeder. The French Review. 84, 4 (March, 2011): 846-847.
Le Voyage d'hiver, a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review. 84, 3 (February, 2011): 619-620.
La Fiancée juive, a novel by Jean Rouaud. The French Review. 83,3 (February,2010): 682-683.
Le Fait du prince, a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review 83, 2 (December, 2009): 450-451.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet, a critical work by Elizabeth Ezra. The French Review. 82, 4 (March, 2009): 894-895.
La Chaussure sur le toit, a novel by Vincent Delecroix. The French Review. 82, 4 (March, 2009): 863-864.
Ni dâĂve ni dâAdam, a novel by AmĂ©lie Nothomb. The French Review. 82, 3 February, 2009): 671-672.
Journal dâHirondelle, a novel by AmĂ©lie Nothomb. The French Review. 81, 6 (May, 2008): 1309-10.
C.R.A.Z.Y., a film by Jean-Marc Vallée. The French Review. 81, 1 (October, 2007): 210-211.
Rois et Reine, a film by Arnaud Desplechin. The French Review. 80, 5 (April, 2007): 1135-1136.
LâUsage de la photo, a work by Annie Ernaux and Marc Marie. The French Review. 80, 5 (April, 2007): 1157-1158
Acide sulfurique, a novel by Amélie Nothomb .The French Review. 80, 3 (February, 2007): 730-731.
Un Pedigree, a work by Patrick Modiano. The French Review. 80, 2 (December, 2006): 494-495.
5 x 2, a film by François Ozon. The French Review. 79, 4 (March, 2006): 847.
Biographie de la faim and LâEntrĂ©e du Christ Ă Bruxelles, two works by AmĂ©lie Nothomb. The French Review. 79, 3 (February, 2006): 669-671.
AmĂ©lie Nothomb: LâĂternelle affamĂ©e, a critical work by Laureline Amanieux. Dalhousie French Studies. 73 (Winter, 2005): 164-165.
Swimming Pool, a film by François Ozon. The French Review. 78, 3 (February, 2005): 593-594.
Paths to Contemporary French Literature, a critical work by John Taylor. Symposium. 58.4 (Winter 2005): 271-272.
Soudain le Minotaure, a novel by Marie-HĂ©lĂšne Poitras. The French Review. 78, 2 (December, 2004): 410.
Ătre et avoir, a film by Nicholas Philibert. The French Review. 78,1 (October, 2004): 174-175.
ŽĄČÔłÙĂ©łŠłó°ùŸ±ČőłÙČč, a novel by AmĂ©lie Nothomb. The French Review. 78,1 (October, 2004): 200-201.
Ă ce soir, a work by Laure Adler. The French Review. 77, 6 (May, 2004): 1272-1273.
Robert des noms propres, a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review. 77, 5. (April, 2004): 1013-1014.
łąâOłŠłŠłÜ±èČčłÙŸ±ŽÇČÔ, a work by Annie Ernaux. The French Review. 77, 4 (March 2004): 817-818.
8 femmes, a film by François Ozon. The French Review. 77, 3 (February, 2004): 602-603.
Le Fond de lâair est rouge, a film by Chris Marker. The French Review. 76, 6 (December, 2003): 392-393.
Loin, a film by André Téchiné: The French Review. 76, 6 (May, 2003): 1285-86.
Le Fabuleux destin dâAmĂ©lie Poulin, a film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The French Review. 76, 5 (April, 2003): 1061-1062.
CosmĂ©tique de lâennemi, a novel by AmĂ©lie Nothomb. The French Review. 76, 1 (October, 2002): 156-157.
La Vie rĂȘvĂ©e des anges, a film by by Erick Zonca. The French Review. 75, 6 (May, 2002): 1332-1333.
Métaphysique des tubes a novel by Amélie Nothomb. The French Review. 75, 5 (April, 2002): 1006-1007.
Bleu: Histoire dâune couleur, a critical work by Michel Pastoureau. Dalhousie French Studies. 57 (Winter 2002): 151.
Nathalie Sarraute, Fiction and Theory, Questions of Difference: a critical work by Ann Jefferson. Dalhousie French Studies. 55 (Summer 2001): 197-198.
LâĂvĂ©nement et La Vie extĂ©rieure, two autobiographical works Annie Ernaux. The French Review. 74, 6 (May 2001): 1276-1278.
Journal dâun coeur sec, a novel by Mathieu Terence. The French Review. 74, 5 (April, 2001):1056-1057.
Chacun cherche son chat, a film by CĂ©dric Klapisch. The French Review. 74, 3 (February 2001): 617-618.
New Novel, New Wave, New Politics: Fiction and the Representation of History in Postwar France, a critical work by Lynn Higgins. Dalhousie French Studies. 51 (Summer 2000): 205-206.
Education
Ph.D. in French Literature, Emory University
Research semesters at EHESS, ENS, Jussieu, Paris.
M.A. in French Literature, Johns Hopkins University
B.A. (Hon) in French, Memorial University of Newfoundland
Teaching
Areas of expertise are XXth and XXIst century French Literature. Dr. Lee also teaches French film and French language.
Research
New French fiction, Women writers, Notions of haunting, Writing the sublime, Constructions or Dissolution of Identity and the Epistolary.
With the University of Kent (UK) and Columbia University in Paris, Dr. Lee organized the international conference âIdentity, Memory, Place: AmĂ©lie Nothomb: Past, Present and Futureâ at Reid Hall, Paris (May 2014).
Grants, awards & honours
J.E.A. Crake Teaching Award in the Faculty of Arts
Paul Paré Excellence Award
Clement and Florence Avard Chair in French.