Jean Genet (; – ) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and
political activist. Early in his life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but later took to writing. His major works include the novels
Querelle of Brest,
The Thief's Journal, and
Our Lady of the Flowers, and the plays
The Balcony,
The Blacks,
The Maids and
The Screens.