By Hajer M'tiri
PARIS (AA) - France's top literary prize was awarded on Monday to French writer Eric Vuillard for a novel mixing between history and fiction to retrace the rise of the Nazi party in Austria.
The Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary honor, was granted to Vuillard for his novel L'Ordre du jour (The Agenda), which focused on the hidden steps which gave rise to the Nazi’s takeover of Austria in 1938.
Created in 1902 and awarded for the first time in 1903, the Prix Goncourt rewards French-speaking authors.
French author Olivier Guez received the Prix Renaudot, which is seen as a second-place award, for his book La disparition de Joseph Mengele (The Disappearance of Joseph Mengele).
The 2016 Goncourt Prize was awarded to Franco-Moroccan novelist and journalist Leila Slimani for her second novel, Chanson Douce [Soft Song].
Slimani is set to be named later on Monday by President Emmanuel Macron as France's representative on the Permanent Council of La Francophonie.