Beiruting News

Maalouf, 63, whose highly acclaimed works include The Crusades Through Arab Eyes, published in 1983, and his first novel, Leo the African, which appeared three years later, devoted part of his induction speech to an impassioned message of East-West conciliation.

Maalouf became the first Lebanese inducted as an one of the academys immortals the 40 lifelong members tasked as guardians of the French language.

Very few foreign subjects were granted the prestige of joining the immortals. Before Amin Maalouf, the first Arab to sit at the Academie, the President of Senegal, Leopold Sedar Senghor (1983-2001) was granted the honour.