Modiano , who published his first novel in 1968 , has previously been recognized with some of the most prestigious prizes in French literature , including the Prix Goncourt in 1978 . French author Patrick Modiano wins the Nobel Prize for Literature . He is honored ` ` for the study of memory , '' says Nobel committee . Modiano is well known in France but has not achieved the same fame elsewhere . He has published some 30 books , often on the themes of memory , loss and identity .
French author Patrick Modiano wins the Nobel Prize for Literature . He is honored ` ` for the study of memory , '' says Nobel committee . Modiano is well known in France but has not achieved the same fame elsewhere . He has published some 30 books , often on the themes of memory , loss and identity .