Sagan, Françoise (1935–2004)
Sagan, Françoise (1935–2004)
French novelist, playwright and shortstory writer. Name variations: Françoise Quoirez. Born Françoise Quoirez, June 21, 1935, in Cajarc, southwestern France; died Sept 24, 2004, in Honfleur, near Normandy, France; dau. of Paul and Marie Quoirez; attended the Sorbonne; m. Guy Schoeller (publisher), 1958 (div. 1960); m. Bob Westhof (American sculptor), 1962 (div. 1963); children: (2nd m.) Denis.
Using a surname taken from Proust because her father wouldn't let her publish under the family name, gained international fame with 1st book, the controversial bestseller Bonjour tristesse (Hello Sadness, 1954), which she wrote at 18; also wrote Un Certain Sourire (1956, pub. in English as A Certain Smile,), Aimez-vous Brahms? (1959, pub. in English as Goodbye Again), Chateau en Suède (1959), La Chamade (1965), Les Bleus Dans L'me (1972), Le Chien Couchant (1980), Un Sang d'aquarelle (1987), La Laisse (1990), Le Chien (1993), and Le Miroir égaré (1998), among others; also wrote for the theater and films, including work on Claude Chabrol's screenplay for Landru (1963); died in poverty.
See also autobiography Avec mon meilleur souvenir (1984).