Subaru Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 20 (1996) award
David Zoppetti
デビット・ゾペティ
Debitto Zopeti
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1962-02-26 （Geneva）
- Nationality
- Swiss
- Languages
- German, French, Italian, English, Japanese
- Residence History
- Geneva (birthplace) → Kyoto (studied at Doshisha University) → Resident in Japan
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Journalist, Television director, Reflexologist
- Active Years
- 1991-
- Nominations
- Akutagawa Prize (116th) nominee for 'Ichigensan', Mishima Yukio Prize (13th) nominee for 'Alegria'
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Geneva | Department of Japanese Studies | Japanese Studies | — | — | Switzerland |
| Doshisha University | Faculty of Letters | Japanese Literature | 学士（文学） | — | Japan |
University of Geneva
Department of Japanese Studies
/ Japanese Studies
Country:
Switzerland
Transferred to Doshisha University while enrolled in the Department of Japanese Studies
Doshisha University
Faculty of Letters
/ Japanese Literature
Degree:
学士（文学）
Country:
Japan
Transferred from the University of Geneva and graduated; after graduation joined TV Asahi in 1991
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Subaru Literary Prize | Ichigensan | — | Shueisha | 受賞 |
| 2001 | Japan Essayist Club Award | A Travel Diary | — | Japan Essayist Club | 受賞 |
Subaru Literary Prize
1996
Work:
Ichigensan
Organization:
Shueisha
Result:
受賞
Japan Essayist Club Award
2001
Work:
A Travel Diary
Organization:
Japan Essayist Club
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Mishima Yukio Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 13 (2000) nominee
Nihon Essayist Club Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 50 (2002) award
Works
Major Works
Ichigensan
1997 NovelDebut novel; the work that won the Subaru Literary Prize.
cross-cultural experienceidentityJapanese society
Alegria
2000 NovelA novel titled 'Alegria'; it was a nominee for the Mishima Yukio Prize.
lonelinesscross-cultural exchange
A Travel Diary, Un Journal de Voyage
2001 Essay / Travel diaryA collection of travel essays; winner of the Japan Essayist Club Award.
travelself-reflectioncultural comparison
Kaze of Life
2005 NovelA novel published in 2005.
lifehuman relationships
Illegal Loving Husband
2012 NovelA novel published in 2012.
loveethics
Season of Departure
2016 NovelA 2016 work published by Kodansha.
departurecoming of age
Miraculous Touch
2023 NovelPublished in 2023; a recent work by the author.
healingmiracle
Bibliography
- Ichigensan (1997, Shueisha)
- Alegria (2000, Shueisha)
- A Travel Diary, Un Journal de Voyage (2001, Shueisha)
- Kaze of Life (2005, Gentosha)
- Illegal Loving Husband (2012, Shinchosha)
- Season of Departure (2016, Kodansha)
- Miraculous Touch (2023, Liberal Publishing)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Clear and concise Japanese prose as a non-native speakerWriting that emphasizes cultural dialogue
- Recurring Motifs
- travellanguagecross-cultural exchangeidentity
Legacy
Recognized as a rare writer who composes in Japanese despite it not being his mother tongue and who has won major Japanese literary prizes. Multilingual; his work often reflects cross-cultural perspectives.
Trivia
- Joined TV Asahi in 1991 as the company's first foreign-national employee.
- Was the company's first male employee to take childcare leave.
- Is multilingual in German, French, Italian, English and Japanese.
- Has described himself as of mixed ancestry including Italian, American, Ukrainian, Iraqi and Polish roots.
- Also works as a reflexologist alongside his writing.