Born in 1947 in Orange, Jean Echenoz began his career studying sociology, and contributed to the French daily L'humanité. He discovered his vocation as a writer at an early age, after reading Ubu roi, and published his first book, Le méridien de Greenwich, at the age of 22. Many of his novels have been awarded prizes, such as the Prix Medicis for Cherokee in 1983, and the Prix Goncourt in 1999 for Je m'en vais. In 2001 he published Jérome Lindon, a tribute to his late publisher at Les Editions de Minuit. Ravel is his 12th novel.

- Le méridien de Greenwich, Minuit, 1979.

- Cherokee, Minuit, 1983. Prix Médicis.

- L'équipée malaise, Minuit, 1986.

- L'occupation des sols, Minuit, 1988.

- Lac, Minuit, 1989.

- "Ayez des amis", p. 49-70, dans New Smyrna Beach, Semaines de Suzanne, Paris, Minuit, 1991.

- "J'arrive", dans Le serpent à plumes, no. 3, 1992.

- Nous trois, Minuit, 1992.

- Les grandes blondes, Minuit, 1995. (Big Blondes, translated by Mark Polizzotti, The New Press, 1997).

- Un an, Minuit, 1997.

- Je m'en vais, Minuit, 1999. Prix Goncourt. (I'm gone, translated by Mark Polizzotti, The New Press, 2000).

- Jérôme Lindon, Minuit, 2001.

- Au piano, Minuit, 2003. (Piano, translated by Mark Polizzotti, The New Press, 2004)

- Ravel, Minuit, 2006.