Daudet, L�on 1867-1942
French writer and political activist

The son of Alphonse Daudet, he studied medicine but turned to journalism, and in 1899 helped to found the right-wing royalist newspaper Action fran�aise, of which he became editor in 1908. He sat in the Chamber of Deputies from 1919 to 1924. In 1925 his son was assassinated and subsequently he spent some time in Belgium as a political exile. He wrote several novels, but is best remembered for his numerous memoirs and critical works, especially Le Stupide XIXe si�cle (1922, 'The Stupid Nineteenth Century').

Bibliography: J Marque, L�on Daudet (1971)