History Creator / GeorgesSimenon

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[[caption-width-right:500:Georges Simenon (right) and actor Rupert Davies, who played Maigret on British television.]]

Georges Joseph Christian Simenon (13 February 1903 – 4 September 1989) was a highly prolific Belgian writer of [[MysteryFiction detective]] and {{psychological|thriller}} novels in French language.

[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/georges-simenon_4241.jpg]]

He wrote over 190 pulp fiction works under 17 different pseudonyms (including "Sim") in the 1920's and 30's before putting his own name to ''Pietr-le-Letton'' (1931; ''The Case of Peter the Lett''[[note]]An old term for 'Latvian' that has now fallen out of use; the current English title is now ''Peter the Latvian''[[/note]]), which marked the debut of [[Literature/{{Maigret}} Commissioner Jules Maigret]], his most famous character.

* IHaveManyNames: He wrote under several pseudonyms: Georges Sim, Christian Brulls, Gom Gut, Georges d'Isly, Jean du Perry, Jean Dorsage, Jacques Dorsonne, Luc Dorsan, Georges Martin, Georges en Gaston Vialis.

* SmokingIsCool: Simenon was a pipe smoker himself and therefore he let his character Maigret smoke one too.

Georges Joseph Christian Simenon (13 February 1903 – 4 September 1989) was a highly prolific Belgian writer of [[MysteryFiction detective]] and psychological novels in French language.

Georges Joseph Christian Simenon (13 February 1903 – 4 September 1989) was a highly prolific Belgian writer of [[MysteryFiction detective]] and psychological novels.

!! This author and his work provide examples of:

Georges Simenon, born Georges Joseph Christian Sim (13 February 1903 – 4 September 1989) was a highly prolific Belgian writer of detective and psychological novels.

He wrote over 190 pulp fiction works under 17 different pseudonyms in the 1920's and 30's before putting his own name to ''Pietr-le-Letton'' (1931; ''The Case of Peter the Lett''[[note]]An old term for 'Latvian' that has now fallen out of use; the current English title is now ''Peter the Latvian''[[/note]]), which marked the debut of [[Literature/{{Maigret}} Commissioner Jules Maigret]], his most famous character.

[[quoteright:319:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/georges-simenon_4241.jpg]]

His total literary output of some 425 books has been translated into 50 languages and sold over 700 million copies worldwide. His style is variously called "rigorously simplistic" and "having a Gallic dryness". He wrote over 190 pulp fiction works under 17 different pseudonyms in the 1920's and 30's before putting his own name to ''Pietr-le-Letton'' (1931; ''The Case of Peter the Lett''[[note]]An old term for 'Latvian' that has now fallen out of use; the current English title is now ''Peter the Latvian''[[/note]]), which marked the debut of [[Literature/{{Maigret}} Commissioner Jules Maigret]], Simenon's most famous character.

!! References in popular culture:
* ''ComicBook/DeKiekeboes'': In ''De Doedelzak van Mac Reel'' ("The Bagpipes of Mac Rel") a Scottish detective is hired named ''[=McGret=]'', wearing the same grey raincoat and smoking a similar pipe like Maigret.
* ''Literature/LabyrinthsOfEcho'': Kofa Yokh's appearance is compared to Inspector Maigret, which becomes a plot point late in the second volume, where Max almost lets himself be convinced that [[AllJustADream all of them were just figments of his imagination]], based on his favorite movies--a possible instance of the author admitting to lazy writing, as this technique is never used again throughout rest of the series.

* MistakenNationality: He is often though to be French, but was Belgian, even the most widely read Belgian author of all time.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: In 1922 a man hung himself at the door handle of a church. Simenon had met the man the night before and brought the drunk person back to his home. It would inspire him to write "Le pendu de Saint-Pholien".

Georges Simenon, born Georges Joseph Christian Sim (13 February 1903 – 4 September 1989) was a highly prolific Belgian-French writer of detective and psychological novels.

His total literary output of some 425 books has been translated into 50 languages and sold over 700 million copies worldwide. His style is variously called "rigorously simplistic" and "having a Gallic dryness". He wrote over 190 pulp fiction works under 17 different pseudonyms in the 1920's and 30's before putting his own name to ''Pietr-le-Letton'' (1931; ''The Case of Peter the Lett''[[note]]An old term for 'Latvian' that has now fallen out of use; the current English title is now ''Peter the Latvian''[[/note]]), which marked the debut of [[Literature/{{Maigret}} Inspector Jules Maigret]], Simenon's most famous character.

His total literary output of some 425 books has been translated into 50 languages and sold over 700 million copies worldwide. His style is variously called "rigorously simplistic" and "having a Gallic dryness". He wrote over 190 pulp fiction works under 17 different pseudonyms in the 1920's and 30's before putting his own name to ''Pietr-le-Letton'' (1931; ''The Case of Peter the Lett''[[note]]An old term for 'Latvian' that has now fallen out of use; the current English title is now ''Peter the Latvian''[[/note]]), which marked the debut of Inspector Jules Maigret, Simenon's most famous character.

Georges Simenon, born Georges Joseph Christian Sim (13 February 1903 – 4 September 1989) was a highly prolific Belgian-French writer of detective and psychological novels, best known as the creator of ''Inspector Maigret''. His total literary output of some 425 books has been translated into 50 languages and sold over 700 million copies worldwide. His style is variously called "rigorously simplistic" and "having a Gallic dryness". He wrote over 190 pulp fiction works under 17 different pseudonyms in the 1920's and 30's before putting his own name to ''Pietr-le-Letton'' (1931; ''The Case of Peter the Lett''[[note]]An old term for 'Latvian' that has now fallen out of use; the current English title is now ''Peter the Latvian''[[/note]]), which marked the debut of Inspector Jules Maigret.

The Parisian police inspector is Simenon's most famous character. The unflappable ''bourgeois'' Maigret starred in 81 novels and a number of short stories, calmly smoking his pipe and using his knowledge of psychology and patient routine investigation to understand the motives of the people he investigated to solve his cases. Maigret has been adapted for radio, film and television numerous times in France, Italy, Britain and Japan, including a British [=ITV=] series in the early 1990's starring Creator/MichaelGambon and [[Series/{{Maigret}} another in 2016]] starring Creator/RowanAtkinson.

The Parisian police inspector is Simenon's most famous character. The unflappable ''bourgeois'' Maigret starred in 81 novels and a number of short stories, calmly smoking his pipe and using his knowledge of psychology and patient routine investigation to understand the motives of the people he investigated to solve his cases. Maigret has been adapted for radio, film and television numerous times in ''France'', Britain and Japan, including a British [=ITV=] series in the early 1990's starring Creator/MichaelGambon and [[Series/{{Maigret}} another in 2016]] starring Creator/RowanAtkinson.

Georges Simenon, born Georges Joseph Christian Sim (1903-1989) was a highly prolific Belgian-French writer of detective and psychological novels, best known as the creator of ''Inspector Maigret''. His total literary output of some 425 books has been translated into 50 languages and sold over 700 million copies worldwide. His style is variously called "rigorously simplistic" and "having a Gallic dryness". He wrote over 190 pulp fiction works under 17 different pseudonyms in the 1920's and 30's before putting his own name to ''Pietr-le-Letton'' (1931; ''The Case of Peter the Lett''[[note]]An old term for 'Latvian' that has now fallen out of use; the current English title is now ''Peter the Latvian''[[/note]]), which marked the debut of Inspector Jules Maigret.

The Parisian police inspector is Simenon's most famous character. The unflappable ''bourgeois'' Maigret starred in 81 novels and a number of short stories, calmly smoking his pipe and using his knowledge of psychology and patient routine investigation to understand the motives of the people he investigated to solve his cases. Maigret has been adapted for radio, film and television numerous times in ''France'', Britain and Japan, including a British [=ITV=] series in the early 1990's starring Creator/MichaelGambon and another in 2016 starring Creator/RowanAtkinson.

Georges Simenon, born Georges Joseph Christian Sim (1903- 1989) was a prolific Belgian-French writer of detective and psychological novels, best known as the creator of ''Inspector Maigret''. His total literary output of some 425 books has been translated into 50 languages and sold over 700 million copies worldwide. His style is variously called "rigorously simplistic" and "having a Gallic dryness". He wrote over 190 pulp fiction works under 17 different pseudonyms in the 1920's and 30's before putting his own name to ''Pietr-le-Letton'' (1931; ''The Case of Peter the Lett''), which marked the debut of Inspector Jules Maigret.

The Parisian police inspector is Simenon's most famous character. The unflappable ''bourgeois'' Maigret starred in 81 novels and a number of short stories, calmly smoking his pipe and using his knowledge of psychology and patient routine investigation to understand the motives of the people he investigated to solve his cases. Maigret has been adapted for radio, film and television numerous times in ''France'', Britain and Japan, including a British [=ITV=] series in the early 1990's starring Michael Gambon.

'''Georges Simenon''', born Georges Joseph Christian Sim (1903- 1989) was a prolific Belgian-French writer of detective and psychological novels, best known as the creator of ''Inspector Maigret''. His total literary output of some 425 books has been translated into 50 languages and sold over 700 million copies worldwide. His style is variously called "rigorously simplistic" and "having a Gallic dryness". He wrote over 190 pulp fiction works under 17 different pseudonyms in the 1920's and 30's before putting his own name to ''Pietr-le-Letton'' (1931; ''The Case of Peter the Lett''), which marked the debut of Inspector Jules Maigret.

* ''ComicStrip/DeKiekeboes'': In ''De Doedelzak van Mac Reel'' ("The Bagpipes of Mac Rel") a Scottish detective is hired named ''[=McGret=]'', wearing the same grey raincoat and smoking a similar pipe like Maigret.

* IHaveManyNames: He wrote under several pseudonym: Georges Sim, Christian Brulls, Gom Gut, Georges d'Isly, Jean du Perry, Jean Dorsage, Jacques Dorsonne, Luc Dorsan, Georges Martin, Georges en Gaston Vialis.

* ''ComicStrip/DeKiekeboes'': In ''De Doedelzak van Mac Reel'' ("The Bagpipes of Mac Rel") a Scottish detective is hired named ''{{=McGret=}}'', wearing the same grey raincoat and smoking a similar pipe like Maigret.

* ''Literature/LabyrintsOfEcho'': Kofa Yokh's appearance is compared to Inspector Maigret, which becomes a plot point late in the second volume, where Max almost lets himself be convinced that [[AllJustADream all of them were just figments of his imagination]], based on his favorite movies--a possible instance of the author admitting to lazy writing, as this technique is never used again throughout rest of the series.

* ''ComicStrip/DeKiekeboes'': In ''De Doedelzak van Mac Reel'' ("The Bagpipes of Mac Rel") a Scottish detective is hired named ''McGret'', wearing the same grey raincoat and smoking a similar pipe like Maigret.