Dominique Lapierre, ‘City of Joy’ author dies at the age of 91

Dominique Lapierre, a well-known author whose books sold millions of copies, has passed away. His wife announced the news.

Lapierre’s wife told the French newspaper Var-Matin on Sunday, ‘He died of old age at 91. He is at peace and tranquil since Dominique is no longer in pain,’ she continued.

Lapierre was well renowned for his enthusiasm and love of India, and his bestseller ‘City of Joy,’ which was based on a slum in Kolkata.

Lapierre, who was born on July 30, 1931, in Chatelaillon, has written six works alongside American author Larry Collins. The most well-known of these is titled ‘Is Paris Burning?’ and has sold about 50 million copies.

Francis Ford Coppola and Gore Vidal adapted the non-fiction book written in 1965, which detailed the events leading up to August 1944, when Nazi Germany relinquished control of the French capital, for the big screen.

The 1985 film ‘City of Joy’ detailed the struggles of a rickshaw puller living in a slum in Kolkata. The book enjoyed tremendous success. It was the subject of a 1992 film directed by Roland Joffe, starring Patrick Swayze and Om Puri.

The majority of Lapierre’s income from ‘City of Joy’ were given to charitable causes in Kolkata.