Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio was born in France in 1940 and spent his youth in Africa, France and England. His family had strong connections to Mauritius and its Anglo-French creole elite. This research study is the first to be released in English since LeClezio won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2008 . It discusses the man, his unique history and travels and the extraordinary production of 43 novels not to mention short stories, children’s literature and journalism/criticism.

This research monograph discusses the understudied and often misunderstood aspects of West African culture and religion especially that of the Yoruba people and their Book of Enlightenment (Ife-Ifa) together with its metaphysical importance to the Yoruba as a source of philosophy, religion and literature.