His debut novel, The French Art of War, won the 2011 Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary award.

A father of three,[2] he has a degree in biology, and is a professor in the life sciences at the Lycée Saint-Marc in Lyon.

[3] His debut novel, L'Art français de la guerre (The French Art of War) was published on 18 August 2011, and was awarded the Prix Goncourt on 2 November 2011.

"[1] The novel deals with France's colonial history in Indochina and Algeria, and was partly inspired by the debate on French identity that developed under the government of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Rather than expressing his personal opinion on the debate, Jenni wanted to make his readers think about it themselves.