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 91心頭 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 Am辿lie Nothomb.
Dr. Lee was responsible for 91心頭s study abroad program at the Universit辿 de Strasbourg and initiated our participation in the Assistant danglais 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 Am辿lie 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.), Identit辿, m辿moire, lieux. Le pass辿, le pr辿sent et l'avenir d'Am辿lie Nothomb , Paris, Classiques Garnier, coll. 束 Rencontres 損, n属 353, s辿rie 束 Litt辿rature des XX e et XXI e si竪cles 損 n属 33, 2018. ISBN 978-2-406-07168-6, 34 . Argument: Cette collection d'辿tudes accompagn辿e d'un entretien met au jour la richesse et la complexit辿 d'une uvre populaire en l'abordant selon les axes de la m辿moire, du lieu et de l'identit辿. Un ouvrage important pour situer et comprendre Am辿lie Nothomb dans l'extr棚me contemporain.
Les Identit辿s dAm辿lie Nothomb : de linvention m辿diatique aux fantasmes originaires. (Amsterdam/ New York: Rodopi, 2010). 295pp
Articles and Book Chapters :
"The Curious State(lessness) of Mothering: Sinha, Appanah and the Migrant Woman," accepted for publication in Contemporary Women's Writing (Oxford University Press).
Crossing Boundaries External & Internal: The Writing Imaginary of Shumona Sinha. Crossways, v.2, n.1 (2019) .
"Erasure and Re-inscription: Representing Trauma in Am辿lie Nothomb". Journal of Literature and Trauma Studies , v.5, n.2 (2016): 75-86. (published in July 2018)"
S辿duction, transgression, reproduction: Am辿lie Nothomb et l'辿pistolaire" in Risques et Regrets: Les dangers de l'辿criture 辿pistolaire . Eds G. De Vivieros, M. Irvine, K. Schwerdtner. (Montr辿al, Nota Bene, 2015), 99-122.
"Re-viewing Varda's Le Bonheur (1964): Accident? Suicide? Or the Natural Order? That is the question". Book chapter to be published in Agn竪s Varda Unlimited: Image, Music, Media . Ed. Marie-Claire Barnet. (Oxford, Legenda, 2016), 87-95.
"D'Hiroshima Shibuya : Nothomb, Duras et les topiques de la fiction". In Le pass辿, le pr辿sent et le futur d'Am辿lie Nothomb . Eds. Mark Lee & Ana de Medeiros. Paris, Classiques Garnier, 2018. Pp. 25-34.
'Introduction'. In Le pass辿, le pr辿sent et le futur d'Am辿lie Nothomb . Eds. Mark Lee & Ana de Medeiros. Paris, Classiques Garnier, 2018. Pp. 7-11.
Am辿lie Nothomb est un homme dangereux in This Self Which Is Not One: Womens Life Writing in French. Eds Natalie Edwards, Christopher Hogarth. (Newcastle, Cambridge Scholars Press, 2010), 119-135.
Ltranger chez Am辿lie Nothomb in Francographies: Identit辿 et alt辿rit辿 dans les espaces francophones europ辿ens. Eds Susan Bainbrigge, Caroline Verdier, Joy Charnley (New York: Peter Lang, 2010), 193-203.
Ernaux, Breton, Nadja: Dis-moi qui tu hantes... in Annie Ernaux: Perspectives critiques. Sergio Villani, dir. (Toronto: Legas Publications, 2009), 159-166.
Les Langues de Nathalie Sarraute.&稼恢壊沿;Roman 20-50 (Winter, 2005): 91-111.
Am辿lie Nothomb: Writing Childhoods End, in Am辿lie Nothomb: Authorship, Identity and Narrative Practice. (New York: Peter Lang, 2003), 142-153.
Learning to Let Go: Kieslowskis Trois couleurs: Bleu.&稼恢壊沿;The French Review 76.1 (October, 2002): 90-97.
The Last Word: Deathbed Scenes in the Works of Nathalie Sarraute.&稼恢壊沿;LEsprit cr辿ateur XL,1 (Spring 2000): 47-57.
Lcriture et la vie: Nathalie Sarraute.&稼恢壊沿;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 r辿el comme rythme de l'histoire". tudes litt辿raires 29.1 (t辿, 1996): 11-20.
"Tu ne t'aimes pas: Les voies de l'amour". Thirty Voices in the Feminine. (Atlanta: ditions Rodopi, 1996): 42-49.
"Nathalie Sarraute: Aesthetics and Asthenics". Women in French Studies (Fall, 1994): 102-110.
Publications: Review Essay:
Breaking Boundaries in Contemporary Womens Writing: From Disgust to Experiment and Experience, in Contemporary Womens 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 Womens Writing in French and German. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2013, and Gill Rye and Amaleena Daml辿, Experiment and Experience Womens Writing in France 20002010. Oxford: Peter Lang, 2013
Publications: Literary Interviews:
Entretien avec Am辿lie Nothomb.&稼恢壊沿;The French Review 77.3 (February, 2004): 562-575.
'D'hier aujourd'hui. Entretien avec Am辿lie Nothomb'. In Le pass辿, le pr辿sent et le futur d'Am辿lie Nothomb . Eds. Mark Lee & Ana de Medeiros. Paris, Classiques Garnier, 2018. Pp. 233-250.
Publications: Critical Reviews:
Ce que je sais de toi, a novel by ric Chacour. Forthcoming in The French Review.
La m辿moire d辿lav辿e, a work by Nathacha Appanah. Forthcoming in The French Review.
Psychopompe, a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. Forthcoming in The French Review.
Quatre-vingt-quinze, a novel by Philippe Joanny. The French Review 97.2 (December 2023): 175.
Lautre nom du bonheur 辿tait fran巽ais, a work by Shumona Sinha. Forthcoming in The French Review.
Lhomme qui danse, a novel by Victor Jestin. The French Review 97.1 (October 2023): 241.
Le Livre des surs, a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review 96,4 (May 2023): 245.
La plus secr竪te m辿moire des hommes, a novel by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr. The French Review 96.3 (March 2023): 238.
Rien ne tappartient, 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 Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review 95.4 (May 2022): 257.
M棚me les anges, a novel by Christ竪le Wurmser. The French Review 95.3 (March 2022): 263.
晦a馨庄, 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 Am辿lie 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 ann辿e lumi竪re, a collection of essays by Nathacha Appanah. The French Review. 93, 2 (December 2019): 210-211.
LIntertextualit辿 dans l辿criture de Nathalie Sarraute, a critical work by Rainier Rocchi. Modern Language Review, v114. 3 (July 2019): 571-572.
Le livre dAmray, 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 Am辿lie 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 Le誰la Slimani. The French Review. 91.2 (December 2017): 265-266.
L'Astronome dur cuire , a novel by Jonathan Ruel. The French Review. 91.1 (October 2017): 276.
Riquet la houppe , a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 90.4 (May 2017): 282.
Vie et uvre de Constantin Erod , a novel by Julien Donadille. The French Review. 90.3 (March 2017): 203-204.
Nouvel an chinois , a novel by Koffi Kwahul辿. 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
永辿岳姻看稼庄鉛鉛艶, a novel by Am辿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 lumi竪res mon amour, a work by Annie Ernaux. The French Review. 88,4 (May 2015): 220.
Le D辿samour, a novel by Antonia Kerr. The French Review. 88,2 (December 2014): 267-268.
Le roman de Boddah, a novel by H辿lo誰se Guay de Bellissen. The French Review. 88,1 (October 2014): 267-268.
La nostalgie heureuse, a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb.The French Review. 87, 4 (May 2014): 264-265.
La premi竪re chose quon regarde, a novel by Gr辿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.
LHerbe des nuits, a novel by Patrick Modiano. The French Review 87,1 (October 2013): 275.
Barbe bleue and Les Myrtilles, two works by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 86, 5 (May 2013): 1295-1296.
LArt fran巽ais de la guerre, a novel by Alexis Jenni. The French Review. 86,4 (March 2013): 790-791
Des vies doiseaux, a novel by V辿ronique Olvad辿. The French Review. 86,3 (February 2013): 610-611.
Tuer le p竪re, a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 86,2 (November 2012): 425-426.
LAutre 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 Zo谷, a novel by Antonia Kerr. The French Review. 85, 4 (March 2012): 788-789.
Crime damour, a film by Alain Corneau. The French Review. 85, 2 (December 2011): 371-372.
Une Forme de vie,a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 85, 2 (December 2011): 404.
晦A姻稼温界看艶顎姻, a film by Pascal Chaumeil. The French Review. 84, 6 (May 2011):1302-1303.
Le Premier amour, a novel by V辿ronique Olmi. The French Review. 84, 6 (May 2011): 1339-1340.
Un Roman fran巽ais,a novel by Fr辿d辿ric Beigbeder. The French Review. 84, 4 (March, 2011): 846-847.
Le Voyage d'hiver, a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 84, 3 (February, 2011): 619-620.
La Fianc辿e juive, a novel by Jean Rouaud. The French Review. 83,3 (February,2010): 682-683.
Le Fait du prince, a novel by Am辿lie 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 dve ni dAdam, a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 82, 3 February, 2009): 671-672.
Journal dHirondelle, a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 81, 6 (May, 2008): 1309-10.
C.R.A.Z.Y., a film by Jean-Marc Vall辿e. 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.
LUsage 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 Am辿lie 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 Fran巽ois Ozon. The French Review. 79, 4 (March, 2006): 847.
Biographie de la faim and LEntr辿e du Christ Bruxelles, two works by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 79, 3 (February, 2006): 669-671.
Am辿lie Nothomb: Lternelle affam辿e, a critical work by Laureline Amanieux. Dalhousie French Studies. 73 (Winter, 2005): 164-165.
Swimming Pool, a film by Fran巽ois 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-H辿l竪ne Poitras. The French Review. 78, 2 (December, 2004): 410.
tre et avoir, a film by Nicholas Philibert. The French Review. 78,1 (October, 2004): 174-175.
粥稼岳辿界鞄姻庄壊岳温, a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 78,1 (October, 2004): 200-201.
ce soir, a work by Laure Adler. The French Review. 77, 6 (May, 2004): 1272-1273.
Robert des noms propres, a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 77, 5. (April, 2004): 1013-1014.
晦O界界顎沿温岳庄看稼, a work by Annie Ernaux. The French Review. 77, 4 (March 2004): 817-818.
8 femmes, a film by Fran巽ois Ozon. The French Review. 77, 3 (February, 2004): 602-603.
Le Fond de lair est rouge, a film by Chris Marker. The French Review. 76, 6 (December, 2003): 392-393.
Loin, a film by Andr辿 T辿chin辿: The French Review. 76, 6 (May, 2003): 1285-86.
Le Fabuleux destin dAm辿lie Poulin, a film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. The French Review. 76, 5 (April, 2003): 1061-1062.
Cosm辿tique de lennemi, a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 76, 1 (October, 2002): 156-157.
La Vie r棚v辿e des anges, a film by by Erick Zonca. The French Review. 75, 6 (May, 2002): 1332-1333.
M辿taphysique des tubes a novel by Am辿lie Nothomb. The French Review. 75, 5 (April, 2002): 1006-1007.
Bleu: Histoire dune 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.
Lv辿nement et La Vie ext辿rieure, two autobiographical works Annie Ernaux. The French Review. 74, 6 (May 2001): 1276-1278.
Journal dun coeur sec, a novel by Mathieu Terence. The French Review. 74, 5 (April, 2001):1056-1057.
Chacun cherche son chat, a film by C辿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.
Courses for 2021-2022: French 1701, 1711, 2501, 3621, 4001.
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 Identity, Memory, Place: Am辿lie Nothomb: Past, Present and Future at Reid Hall, Paris (May 2014).
Grants, awards & honours
J.E.A. Crake Teaching Award in the Faculty of Arts
Paul Par辿 Excellence Award
Clement and Florence Avard Chair in French.