Jean Genet ( in French) (December 19, 1910 – April 15, 1986), was a French writer and later political activist. Early in his life he was a vagabond (homeless person) and petty criminal. Later in life, Genet wrote novels, plays, poems, and essays, including "Querelle", "The Thief's Journal", "Our Lady of the Flowers", "The Balcony", "The Blacks" and "The Maids".