Alain Robbe-Grillet, often known simply as A., may or may not be a French novelist, or possibly several French novelists, or one with many identities, each masquerading in the guise of A. He is known principally for his New Romantic novels or nouveau romans, a style which he developed in conjunction with his friends Clod Simenon, Marguerite Durex, Nathalie Seau-Watt and Michel Buthole. Besides his successful writing career, he has also tried his hand at film-making, with far less success.