Edem Awumey

{{short description|Togolese-Canadian writer|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox writer

| name = Edem Awumey

| birth_name =

| image =

| birth_date = 1975

| birth_place = Lomé, Togo

| occupation = novelist

| period = 2000s-present

| nationality = Togolese/Canadian

| notableworks = Port-Mélo, Les Pieds sales

| spouse =

| =

}}

Edem Awumey (born 1975 in Lomé, Togo) is a Togolese-Canadian writer. Born in Togo and educated in France, he has lived in Gatineau, Quebec since 2005.[http://www.lapresse.ca/arts/livres/200909/15/01-902014-le-quebecois-edem-awumey-en-lice-pour-le-goncourt.php "Le Québécois Edem Awumey en lice pour le Goncourt"]. La Presse, September 15, 2009.

His debut novel Port-Mélo won the Grand prix littéraire d'Afrique noire in 2006,[http://moishistoiredesnoirs.com/archives2012/index.php/en/laureats/item/19-edem-awumey Edem Awumey] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022044731/http://moishistoiredesnoirs.com/archives2012/index.php/en/laureats/item/19-edem-awumey |date=2013-10-22 }}. Montreal Black History Month. and his second novel Les Pied sales was a shortlisted nominee for the Prix Goncourt in 2009. Dirty Feet, an English translation of Les Pieds sales by Lazer Lederhendler, was also a shortlisted nominee for the 2011 Governor General's Award for French to English translation and the 2012 ReLit Award for fiction.

His third novel, Rose déluge, was published in 2011,[http://www.lapresse.ca/arts/livres/201109/24/01-4451006-rose-deluge-sur-le-bord-de-la-route.php "Rose déluge: sur le bord de la route"]. La Presse, September 24, 2011. and his fourth, Explication de la nuit, was published in 2013.[http://www.lapresse.ca/arts/livres/entrevues/201311/11/01-4709410-edem-awumey-ecrire-pour-pouvoir-mourir.php "Edem Awumey: écrire pour pouvoir mourir"]. La Presse, November 11, 2013. He is also the author of Tierno Monénembo: le roman de l'exil, a critical study of the work of Tierno Monénembo.

At the 2018 Governor General's Awards, Phyllis Aronoff and Howard Scott won the Governor General's Award for French to English translation for Descent Into Night, the English translation of Explication de la nuit.[https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/books/2018/10/30/book-about-campus-rape-and-an-indigenous-memoir-win-25000-governor-generals-literary-award.html "Book about campus rape and an Indigenous memoir win $25,000 Governor General’s Literary Award"]. Toronto Star, October 30.

His most recent novel, Mina parmi les ombres, was published in fall 2018.Mario Cloutier, [https://www.lapresse.ca/arts/livres/entrevues/201809/20/01-5197345-edem-awumey-les-crocs-de-la-nuit.php "Edem Awumey: les crocs de la nuit"]. La Presse, September 20, 2018. It was shortlisted for the Governor General's Award for French-language fiction at the 2019 Governor General's Awards.Yves Bergeras, [https://www.ledroit.com/arts/livres/prix-litteraire-du-gouverneur-general-edem-awumey-parmi-les-finalistes-6298131036ac6ecbf4e3bf5530c6f424 "Prix littéraire du Gouverneur général: Edem Awumey parmi les finalistes"]. Le Droit, October 2, 2019.