Prix Médicis
He was the first writer to win the Prix Médicis étranger in 1970. He also won the in 1979, the in 1987, the Grinzane Cavour Prize in 1989 (with and Raffaele La Capria), the Viareggio Prize in 1992, the Flaiano Prize in 1990 and the in 1992. His name popped up among the candidates to the Nobel prize for literature in 2000.