Marie Susini (January 18, 1916 – August 22, 1993) was a French author known for her writing about her native Corsica.

Early life and education

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Marie Susini was born in Renno, Corsica, in 1916.[1] She was raised by nuns in Vico, then attended school in Beaune.[2] After living for a period in Marseille, she studied philosophy and literature in Paris, taking particular interest in the work of Henri Bergson.[2] She attended the École du Louvre and the Collège de France.[2]

Career

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Susini worked as a personal secretary for Abel Bonnard, the minister of national education during the fascist Vichy regime.[2] After the war, she worked until her retirement as a librarian and curator at the Bibliothèque nationale de France.[2]

Susini was the author of various works of literature, beginning with her "Corsican trilogy" of two novels and a play: Plein soleil (1953), La fiera (1954), and Corvara (1955).[1][3][4] Her writing speaks of Corsica, of the island's isolation, and of the power of unexpressed feelings.[1][4] The novel C'était cela notre amour is among her best-known works. Albert Camus encouraged her to pursue writing about her native island.[1][3]

From 1971 until her death, she served on the jury for the Prix Femina literary award.[5]

She also played the role of "Mathieu's wife" in Robert Bresson's 1967 film Mouchette.[2]

Personal life and death

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Susini never married, but she was a longtime partner of the journalist Jean Daniel.[1][2]

She died while visiting Orbetello, Italy, in 1993, and is buried in Vico, Corsica, where she grew up.[1][6]

Selected works

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  • Plein soleil (novel). 1953.
  • La fiera (novel). Méditerranée. Éditions du Seuil. 1954.
  • Corvara, ou la Malédiction (play in one act and three scenes). 1955.
  • Un pas d'homme (novel). Éditions du Seuil. 1957.
  • Le premier regard : récit. Éditions du Seuil. 1960.
  • Les yeux fermés (novel). Éditions du Seuil. 1964.
  • C'était cela notre amour (novel) (in French). 1970.
  • Je m'appelle Anna Livia (novel). B. Grasset. 1979. ISBN 978-2-246-00843-9.
  • La renfermée, la Corse (essay). with photographs by Chris Marker. Seuil. 1981. ISBN 978-2-02-005900-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  • L'île sans rivages. Éd. du Seuil. 1989. ISBN 978-2-02-010944-4.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f "La mort de la romancière Marie Susini Le mystère et l'orgueil corses". Le Monde (in French). 1993-08-25. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Panisse, Mia (2011). L'ambivalence de la femme dans l'oeuvre de Marie Susini (PDF) (Thesis). Åbo [Finland]: Åbo Akademi University Press. ISBN 9789517656344. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  3. ^ a b "Marie Susini la farouche". Le Monde (in French). 1989-12-15. Retrieved 2024-07-19.
  4. ^ a b Makward, Christiane P.; Cottenet-Hage, Madeleine (1996-01-01). Dictionnaire littéraire des femmes de langue française: de Marie de France à Marie NDiaye (in French). KARTHALA Editions. ISBN 978-2-86537-676-6.
  5. ^ Ducas, Sylvie (2013-08-29). La littérature à quel(s) prix ?: Histoire des prix littéraires (in French). La Découverte. ISBN 978-2-7071-7779-7.
  6. ^ Daniel, Jean (2014-04-01). Avec le temps (in French). Grasset. ISBN 978-2-246-53519-5.