The éditions Gallimard published five of his novels in the Collection Blanche, Le Chien d'Ulysse, La Kahéna, Tuez-les tous, Le silence de Mahomet and Amours et aventures de Sindbad le Marin, which were hailed by critics and won several literary prizes. He also published a book of short stories about malvie ("bad life") in Algeria entitled Les douze contes de minuit at the same publisher and a narrative of travel, Autoportrait avec Grenade, at éditions du Rocher. His books won the prix Tropiques, the Prix littéraire de la vocation, the Goncourt scholarship for premier roman and the prince Pierre de Monaco de la découverte scholarship.