The Map and the Territory

The Map and the Territory (French: La carte et le territoire, French pronunciation: ​[la kaʁt e lə tɛʁitwaʁ]) is a novel by French author Michel Houellebecq. The narrative revolves around a successful artist, and involves a fictional murder of Houellebecq. It was published on 4 September 2010 by Flammarion and received the Prix Goncourt, the most prestigious French literary prize, in 2010. The title is a reference to the map–territory relation. The Map and the Territory is Michel Houellebecq's fifth novel. It was published five years after his prior novel, The Possibility of an Island. The Map and the Territory was among the most eagerly awaited and discussed novels of the 2010 literary season in France. The first printing was for 120,000 copies, as announced by the publisher. An English translation by Gavin Bowd was published in January 2012. The Map and the Territory received the Prix Goncourt on 8 November 2010 on the first ballot with seven votes against two for Apocalypse bébé by Virginie Despentes.