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Having been accused of stealing at age ten, Genet decided to become an actual thief and spent his teenage years in youth prison. Later, as a variety of sources have reported, he lived as a male prostitute. In 1943, he was convicted to serve a life-long sentence and decided to take up writing.

His first novel, widely regarded as his best, Our Lady of the Flowers ( 1944), describes a journey through the Parisian underworld. In The Miracle of the Rose ( 1946), he focuses on his life in prison, where he meets men again who had been his lovers in youth prison. Jean-Paul Sartre, Jean Cocteau, and Pablo Picasso found his work so brilliant, that eventually he was pardoned in 1948.

Later works by him include The Thief's Journal ( 19491949 is the common year starting on Saturday. see link for calendar) Events January-February January 4 RMS Caronia of the Cunard Line departs Southampton for New York on her maiden voyage January 4 February 22 Series of winter storms in Nebraska, Wyoming,) and QuerelleQuerelle is both a 1947 novel Querelle de Brest by French author Jean Genet and its film adaptation by Rainer Werner Fassbinder from 1982. The plot centers around the handsome sailor Querelle ( Brad Davis), who is also a thief and murderer and has hidden ( 1947Events January January 1 British mines nationalized January 1 Nigeria gains limited autonomy January 1 The Canadian Citizenship Act went into effect January 3 Proceedings of the United States Congress are televised for the first time. January 10 United Na), the movie version of which was the last film directed by Rainer Werner FassbinderRainer Werner Fassbinder ( May 31, 1945 June 10, 1982), German movie director and actor, was one of the most important representatives of the New German Cinema. He was born in the Bavarian town of Bad Worishofen. He died of a drug overdose; his death is o. Todd HaynesMaverick, onetime New Queer Cinema director Todd Haynes (born January 2, 1961, Encino, California) has had a controversial, if short, career. His 1987 (stop-action animation) film, Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story caused Richard Carpenter to sue him a' 1991 movie Poison was also based on the writings of Genet.

Famous plays authored by him are The MaidsThe Maids is the name of a claustrophobic 1974 film starring Glenda Jackson, Susannah York, Vivien Merchant, and Mark Burns. It is based on the play of the same name by Jean Genet and was directed by Christopher Miles. Before it was filmed by the American ( 19491949 is the common year starting on Saturday. see link for calendar) Events January-February January 4 RMS Caronia of the Cunard Line departs Southampton for New York on her maiden voyage January 4 February 22 Series of winter storms in Nebraska, Wyoming,) and The Balcony ( 19561956 is a leap year starting on Sunday. see link for calendar) Events January January 1 End of Anglo- Egyptian Condominium in Sudan. January 16 President Gamal Abdal Nasser of Egypt vows to reconquer Palestine January 26 1956 Winter Olympic Games open in). Genet also directed a movie in 1950, Un Chant d'Amour.

Genet was also involved in radical politics, including supporting the Black Panthers, and the Palestine Liberation Organization.

He is remembered in David Bowie's song " Jean Genie".