ID 10522
Books: 45

Sagan Francoise

All works of Françoise Sagan are about love, loneliness, dissatisfaction with life; they are distinguished by the clarity of their narrative style and the accuracy of their psychological drawing. Sagan's writing career began very early - at the age of 19 she published a story. Since then, the life of Françoise Sagan has been closely intertwined with literature. Her pseudonym, which forever erased her real name from French history, was taken from a book by Françoise’s beloved compatriot writer, Marcel Proust. And the formation of the philosophy of her entire life was greatly influenced by Jean-Paul Sartre, with whom she was tenderly and reverently friends. Despite her not very attractive appearance - thin, big-nosed, with disproportionately large transparent eyes on a small face with a sharp chin - she tied many novels, tried several times to improve family life and even gave birth to a son. And she continued to write like one possessed. Her novels came out one after another, written in the same shocking, detached manner, but with strict adherence to the classical traditions of writing novels. Small, it seemed

Biography

Born in the area of ​​Kazhar. The girl was superior to her peers in terms of intelligence, although she was very undisciplined. After failing in her studies (in 1953 she failed the entrance exam at the Sorbonne), at the age of 19 she became famous thanks to the publication of her first short story “Hello, sadness” (Bounjour, tristesse) (1954), which was a brilliant success in society and among critics . Sagan, whom François Mauriac called a “charming monster,” won a Critics' Prize for this novella, among such veteran authors as Jean Guitton. Sagan shocked teachers of the French middle class with her simple story of an underage girl, sensitive and immoral, deceived by her frivolous father along with his mistress whom she does not like, told in a fragmented and disillusioned style. This novella depicts, first of all, the inner world of Sagan herself, which has not changed since then: a secular inner world consisting of idle and superficial people in search of a more convincing reality than the world in which they live. This novella was considered not only a reflection of the undoubted sensibility of the era (clearly peculiar in its cheerful difference in the face of the literary arbitration decisions of other writers, for example Sartre), but also the beginning of a certain style of women's literature.

Sagan's fame came from her first story, “Hello, Sadness,” published when she was 19 years old. The story was translated into 30 languages ​​of the world and then filmed. This work was followed by other novels, and numerous short stories, plays, novellas, for example, “Do you love Brahms?” (), “A Little Sun in Cold Water” (), “Lost Profile” (), “Painted Lady” (), “Tired of War” ().

All works of Françoise Sagan are about love, loneliness, dissatisfaction with life; they are distinguished by the clarity of the narrative style and the accuracy of the psychological drawing.

Françoise Sagan married twice. In 1958 for the forty-year-old publisher Guy Schueller, and then in 1962 for the young American Bob Westhoff, a pilot who changed the helm of an airplane to become a model. From his second marriage he has a son, Dani Westhoff.

Creating novels about fragile love, she herself now and then became the heroine of scandalous gossip columns, calling herself a “playgirl.” In her life there were many scandals, unpaid taxes, strange marriages, car accidents, luxury yachts, addiction to drugs and alcohol, suspended prison sentences, gambling - and at the end of her life poverty, despite all the fees she received. Françoise Sagan died on September 24 from a pulmonary embolism.

Creation

Sagan's novellas were received favorably by an undoubtedly sophisticated audience, at first due to the folklore of the Latin Quarter, its vaguely existentialist climate, as well as the "objective" form of writing, more suggestive than persuasive. Her short stories, characterized by a small number of characters and brief descriptions, are distinguished by an open consistency of intrigue, indicated by the scheme of a love triangle. The psychology of Sagan's characters is said to be rooted in that of Fitzgerald, but in him they are obsessed with their past, while Sagan's characters, such as Gilles in A Little Sun in Cold Water, understand that they have always lived in a fraudulent and boring world and do not return to their past. Of course, they are brilliant, this brilliance is primarily intellectual, but also egocentric. Moreover, although Sagan has been the subject of press scandals for a long time and has shown throughout her life a clear will to break free from all norms, of course, the female characters she created correspond to the opinions and desires of men. After Hello, Sadness, other successful short stories appeared, all based on the theme of love, sadness and melancholy: A Vague Smile (1956); “In a month, in a year” (1957); “Do you like Brahms?” (1959) and "Magic Clouds" (1961). Her other works were “Surrender” (1965), “Guardian of the Heart” (1968), “A Little Sun in Cold Water” (1969), “Velvet Eyes” (1975), “The Rumpled Bed” (1977), “The Painted Lady” (1981), "The Getaway" (1991) and "The Disgruntled Passenger" (1994). Accused of adhering to fiction that is artificial and monotonous, Sagan has demonstrated an ability to work in other literary genres. For example, she wrote the theater plays Fiddlers Sometimes Cause Harm (1961) and The Horse Is Disappearing (1966), and also wrote a biography of Sarah Bernhardt, entitled Dear Sarah Bernhardt (1987), and autobiographical works such as "Blows to the Soul" (1972) and "With My Best Memory" (1984).

Novels

• Hello, sadness! / Bonjour tristesse, Editions Julliard, 1954.
• Vague smile / Un certain sourire, 1956.
• In a month, in a year / Dans un mois, dans un an, 1957.
• Do you love Brahms? / Aimez-vous Brahms?, 1959.
• Magic clouds / Les Merveilleux Nuages, 1961.
• Signal for surrender / La Chamade, 1965.
• Guardian angel / Le Garde du cœur, Editions Julliard, 1968.
• A little sun in cold water / Un peu de soleil dans l'eau froide, 1969.
• Bruises on the soul / Des bleus à l"âme, 1972
• Unclear profile / Un profile perdu, 1974.
• Rumpled bed / Le Lit defait, 1977.
• Pribluda / Le Chien couchant, 1980.
• Woman in makeup / La femme fardée, 1981.
• Unmoving Thunderstorm (When a Thunderstorm Approaches, 2010) / Un Orage immobile, 1983.
• And the cup overflowed / De guerre lasse, 1985.
• Fish blood / Un Sang d'aquarelle, 1987.
• Leash / La Laisse, 1989.
• Detours / Les Faux-Fuyants, 1991.
• Goodbye sadness / Un Chagrin de passage, 1993.
• In the foggy mirror / Le Miroir égaré, 1996.

Novels

• Velvet eyes / Des yeux de soie, 1975
• Blue wine glasses / Les fougères bleues, 1979.
• Music for scenes / Musique de scene, 1981.
• House of Raquel Vega / La maison de Raquel Vega, 1985.

Works for the theater

• Le Rendez-vous manqué (1958)
• Castle in Sweden / Chateau en Suede (1960)
• Les violons parfois (1961)
• Valentina's lilac dress / La Robe mauve de Valentine (1963)
• Bonheur, impair et passe (1964)
• The horse has disappeared / Le Cheval évanoui (1966)
• In the thorn bush / L"Écharde (1970)
• Piano in the grass / Un piano dans l'herbe (1970)
• Il fait beau jour et nuit (1978)
• The other extreme / L'Excès contraire (1987)

Biographies

• Dear Sarah Bernhardt /Sarah Bernhardt: Le rire incassable, biography, 1987.

Literature

• Delassin Sophie "Do you love Sagan? Translation from French T. V. Osipova. M.: LLC AST Publishing House, 2003. - 414 p.

Notes

Links

• Sagan, Francoise in the library of Maxim Moshkov

Categories:

• Personalities in alphabetical order
• Writers by alphabet
• Born on June 21
• Born in 1935
• Born in Kazhar
• Died on September 24
• Died in 2004
• Deceased in Honfleur
• Writers in French
• Writers of France
• Playwrights of France
• Died from pulmonary embolism

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

• Volgodonsk
• Monakhov, Sergey Yurievich

See what “Sagan, Francoise” is in other dictionaries:

Sagan Francoise- Francoise Sagan Date of birth June 21, 1935 Place of birth Qaryac, France Date of death September 24, 2004 Place of death Normandy Profession writer Genres ... Wikipedia

Sagan, Francoise- Francoise Sagan. Francoise Sagan (born 1935), French writer. Numerous novels, including Hello, Sadness (1954), Do You Love Brahms? (1959), A Little Sun in Cold Water (1969), Lost Profile (1974), ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Sagan Francoise- (Sagan) (b. 1935), French writer. Numerous novels, including Hello, Sadness (1954), Do You Love Brahms? (1959), “A Little Sun in Cold Water” (1969), “Lost Profile” (1974), “The Painted Lady” (1981), ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

Sagan Francoise- Francoise Sagan (b. 21.6.1935, Cajarc, Lot department), French writer. Graduated from the Catholic Lyceum in Paris. S.’s first novels “Hello, Sadness” (1954, Russian translation 1974) and “The Likeness of a Smile” (1956) expressed the mentality of the part... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

SAGAN Francoise- Francoise Sagan (b. 1935), French writer. Rum. “Hello, Sadness” (1954, p. 1974), “A Vague Smile” (1956, p. 1981), “In a Month, in a Year” (1957), “Do You Love Brahms?” (1959, p. 1974), “Wonderful Clouds” (1961), “Signal... ... Literary encyclopedic dictionary

Sagan\ Francoise- (born 1935), French writer ... Biographical Dictionary of France

Francoise Sagan- Date of birth June 21, 1935 Place of birth Karyak, France Date of death September 24, 2004 Place of death Normandy Profession writer Genres ... Wikipedia

Françoise was brought up in a wealthy family and received an excellent education. After graduating from school, Françoise entered the philological faculty of the Sorbonne - University of Paris. But there was no time to study. How nice it was to sit in small cozy Parisian cafes, get acquainted and meet with representatives of Parisian bohemia: artists, performers, poets; fall in love, argue, get drunk, and write your first story at night.

Her first novel, Hello Sadness, written in 1954, appeared suddenly, like a shower from heaven. Reading Paris began to seethe: it cannot be written by an 18-year-old girl! The most incredible assumptions about authorship were invented. But there is no deception - it was she, Françoise Coire, who, having failed the bachelor's exam, took up the pen. The book needed a symbolic surname. The young lady borrowed a pseudonym from the great Proust - Princess Sagan lived in his novel. This suited her quite well. The daughter of wealthy parents, in love with Arthur Rimbaud and Paul Eluard, threw herself head and heart into writing. The name of the novel was suggested to her by lines from a poem by Paul Eluard:

Hello sadness
Love of pliable bodies,
The inevitability of love.

Readers were delighted with the lightness and ease of the story, with its heroine Cecile, who began to learn about people, love, betrayal, and disappointment. In this novel, it suddenly became clear to everyone that, in addition to the kinship of souls and bodies, there is also the joy of silence, glances, gestures, even laughter and restrained anger. To meet such closeness in a person is incredible happiness. The novel was translated into 30 languages ​​and then filmed. The girl was hit with a landslide of opinions, very different, and a huge fee - 1.5 million francs. The father advised: “Spend it immediately, because money is a big problem for you.” The young novelist bought a used Jaguar XK 140 - “Magnificent, and I was proud of it,” Françoise admitted.

This work was followed by other novels, short stories, plays, stories “Do you love Brahms?” (1959), A Little Sun in Cold Water (1969), The Lost Profile (1974), The Painted Lady (1981), War Tired (1985) and etc.

Sagan wrote 22 novels and several plays. She loved her readers, even those who attacked her with criticism, who were dissatisfied with her novels, and never defended herself - she considered their criticism fair.

François Mauriac was amazed by her brilliant prose and cheerfully exclaimed: “Little charming monster!” About her novel On a Leash, academician Poirot Delpeche wrote that for the first time since the times of Balzac and Zola, a book has appeared in which the power of money in the sphere of feelings is shown with such frankness and artistic power.

Françoise Sagan married twice. In 1958 for the forty-year-old publisher Guy Schueller, and then in 1962 for the young American Bob Westhoff, a pilot who changed the helm of an airplane to become a model. From her second marriage she has a son, Dani Westhoff.
Françoise Sagan died on September 24, 2004 from a pulmonary embolism in a hospital in Honfleur, Normandy.

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Francoise Sagan

"Françoise Sagan"

Françoise Sagan (1935-2004) French writer. Author of the novels: "Hello, Sadness" (1954), "Do you love Brahms?" (1959), “A Little Sun in Cold Water” (1969), “Lost Profile” (1974), “The Painted Lady” (1981), “War Tired” (1985) - about love, loneliness, general dissatisfaction with life.

Almost every third book in France today is written by a woman. Literary creativity is a field in which women, along with love, have long won a strong place for themselves, but never before have so many names of representatives of the fair sex appeared on the covers of a wide variety of publications as at the end of the 20th century. Detective stories, romance novels, biographies... Critics and philosophers will explain this phenomenon. Perhaps men simply liberated the weaker sex from the periphery of human culture, capturing more modern means of communication than literature. Perhaps female intelligence is growing. Perhaps it all works together. One thing is clear: today every bibliophile can name a dozen writers whose books are of interest. And there is no doubt that this list will open the name of Francoise Sagan. And not because she is the most significant modern novelist, but because it was to her share that the most lasting and lasting success fell. The fertility and accessibility of Sagan's books seem to symbolize the general trend of today's women's literature - everything for the average reader, none of this male gimmick called innovation. Simple stories that are understandable to the average person... No wonder Françoise, despite her advanced age, declares that she loves the game, the night, and when relationships between people are simple.

"Françoise Sagan"

Françoise never misses an opportunity to demonstrate to others the thread that connects her with the great writer, and it is quite possible that astrologers will find a non-random coincidence of these two events. For Sagan, Jean-Paul became the “ruler of thoughts,” a teacher, a ringleader, who with his manifestos pulled out a young, pretty Catholic woman from a traditional bourgeois environment. Having read Sartre at the age of 14, Françoise unexpectedly lost faith in God and, oddly enough, in all sorts of miracles, which, however, never stopped her, in a purely feminine way, from turning to clairvoyants, especially if she fell in love.

Like Sartre, Françoise was brought up in a wealthy family, received an excellent book education, and like him, one fine day she rebelled against a boring, monotonous existence. After graduating from school, our heroine, having an insane passion for literature, could not think of anything better than to enroll in the philological department of the famous Sorbonne - University of Paris. However, intoxicated by freedom and the anticipation of new thrills, she spent most of her time not in classrooms and reading rooms, but in small cozy Parisian cafes. Bohemia sucked her in completely. During the day and in the evenings, Françoise indulged in communication with writers, artists, and performers; I fell in love, argued until I was hoarse, got drunk, and at night wrote my first story. Failure of an English exam forced her to leave the Sorbonne, and now only literary success could save her from the shame and contempt of her parents.

She brought the manuscript of her first work, “Hello, Sadness,” to the publishing house named after her boss, “Juillard.” Today, in Sagan’s reasoning, no, no, and even old-man notes appear - they say, the high chairs of publishers are filled with ignoramuses and fools, which is why there are fewer and fewer good books.

"Françoise Sagan"

She, Françoise believes, was lucky - she ended up with a publisher who had both the means and the talent. The clever Juillard sensed in time that good money could be made from this thin, pointy-nosed girl. Along with the release of the story, he organized a noisy advertisement, drawing the attention of readers to an unusual fact: the writer was not yet 19 years old, and she was already talking about something far from children’s topics. The vein of an experienced showman told the publisher that the story of seventeen-year-old Cecile, who has a lover, not at all burning with passion, would cause indignation among the average person. Then, in 1954, there were no works of literature in which such a young person would be presented with such a degree of cynicism - the poor innocent “sheep” who fell into the clutches of lustful “animals” were usually pitied. Juillard rubbed his hands in anticipation of the scandal that promised to rain money on his publishing house.

However, even in his wildest dreams, Juillard could not foresee the resounding success that befell the young debutante. The book became a bestseller, and within a year sold millions of copies in many European languages. Sagan received 5 million francs and overnight became the richest girl in the country. Every venerable critic considered it his duty to write about a new talent; Most of the luminaries agreed that Sagan was not a talent at all, but just an impudent person who burst into literature by accident. Well-wishers predicted that Françoise would not write another book, and the published work, to put it mildly, was far from perfect. But circulation grew, and at the same time the number of articles and studies about Sagan’s debut multiplied, and even the term “Françoise Sagan’s generation” appeared.

"Françoise Sagan"

Crowds of French and foreign journalists pursued the writer. She was made into a literary “superstar”, like those who shine in the cinema. This is the first time this has happened in an area that has historically been considered not entirely public.

It must be said that Françoise’s brainchild reflected the character of its parent. Sagan, with her indomitable temperament, her desire to “shine” in society, and her scandalous behavior, was quite suitable for the role of a “diva” who constantly appears in magazine chronicles. It is enough to note that Sarah Bernhardt became Sagan’s favorite female image since childhood. All her life, Françoise had a soft spot for this extravagant French actress. She even bought a house in Paris that once belonged to Bernard, and wrote a novel in which she exchanges imaginary letters with her idol. "Sarah Bernhardt is one of the few famous women who lived her life cheerfully and did not end it in poverty, in some shelter for the orphans."

At the age of 19, having become rich overnight, Françoise came to her father and asked what she should do with the five million francs she received for her first book. He, knowing his daughter’s character, replied: “Spend it immediately, because money is a dangerous thing for you.” This was probably the only parental advice that our heroine followed with ease. Françoise drove her life like an expensive fast car. Their own health, the peace of loved ones, and public opinion were sacrificed to instant thrills. “When I think about my past, I feel dizzy...” Sagan says today.

She was on her deathbed five or six times. The first time she was supposed to die at the age of 22, at the zenith of the glory that befell her.

"Françoise Sagan"

At crazy speed, her Mercedes convertible overturned. The doctors themselves could not understand how miraculously they managed to bring Françoise, whose bones were broken, back to life. But even this disaster did not cool Sagan’s hot nature. Returning to life, the writer did not become more cautious - dangerous accidents, risky games in casinos, nights in drunken companies began again. She continued to be lucky, as if she, an unbeliever, was constantly accompanied by a guardian angel. He helped her get out both when she was put into surgery with a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, and when, after three weeks of pleurisy, she fell into a coma. “I looked death in the eye, which appeared before me in the form of a black hole. After that, it lost all interest for me... I assure you that there, on the other side of existence, there is absolutely nothing. And thank God! It would be unpleasant if my restless soul hovered alone in some space.”

Françoise married for the first time in 1957 to a major publishing figure, Guy Scheller, who was 20 years older than her. But a measured family life was not for her violent disposition. She herself says that one day, after several months of marriage, she returned home and found her husband peacefully reading a newspaper on the sofa. This picture struck the young woman to such an extent with its dullness and ordinariness that she packed her bags and left forever without scenes or hysterics. To be fair, it is worth adding that her act did not particularly upset her abandoned husband. Françoise’s personal life has not worked out since that memorable day. Despite the stormy romances, she remained alone. True, from her second marriage, Sagan had a son in 1962, whom the writer adores and considers her closest person.

This personal life experience and the many “small tragedies” that played out before her eyes in the bohemian-elite environment of Paris determined the nature of the works that followed the sensational story about Cecile.

"Françoise Sagan"

Sagan always writes only about the rich, about those who are “at the very top”, who do not need to “bust their heads” with calculations of income and expenses. The heroes of her new books are tormented by defeats in love, betrayal in friendship, and an incomprehensible melancholy from the rapidly disappearing youth. One critic wrote about Sagan that her books are a secular cocktail of cynicism, egoism, lyricism with a large dose of “not giving a damn.” But the writer still remains a trendsetter in well-tailored reading, which is not a shame to discuss in polite society. Its topic - problems of relationships between people - will always be of interest to a housewife, a businessman, and a musician.

Sagan herself is aware of the disproportion of her fame and talent. She claims that the desire to preserve one's place in history is a sign of masculinity, and she, as a woman, does not care about posthumous recognition. And yet, in her statements, in search of new forms and literary genres, a hidden desire to finally surpass herself barely appears. It seems to both those around and critics that just a little more, just one more push, and a brilliant book will appear on the reader’s table.

In 1991, Françoise published a short novel, David and Bettstabe (only 100 pages). It is based on episodes from the legend of King David. The biblical plot was intended to give Saganov’s new story a universal character, to stake out a place among the gods of human culture. The novel opens with a foreword by the famous Israeli political figure Shimon Peres and was published in a special edition for bibliophile collectors: luxurious, rare illustrations, lush artistic design, circulation - only 599 copies and all numbered, and some personally signed by the author. Each volume cost tens of thousands of francs.

"Françoise Sagan"

Françoise Sagan's book show was staged according to all the laws of the market, but the novel did not become a significant event in literary life. The masterpiece remained in the future.

“My favorite writer Proust (by the way, the real name of our heroine is Françoise Quarez, and the pseudonym Sagan is taken in honor of the heroine of her idol from the novel “In Search of Lost Time”) stopped leading a normal life due to asthma and only wrote. I don’t have asthma , this really bothers me..." Well, then? If it’s a matter of priorities, then literature will not supplant our heroine’s passion for thrills for a long time. The last scandal associated with the name Sagan erupted in 1995. The writer was sentenced to a large fine and imprisonment for using cocaine. True, respecting her age and merits, she served a suspended sentence, but Françoise Sagan’s indignation knew no bounds. “If in Japan there are clubs... where I am greeted with flowers and an orchestra, then in France they treat me like a little criminal. I have never denied that I took drugs. But I am an adult and I want the right to destroy myself if I want.” I want to".

However, Françoise’s talent is special. It is in her organic attitude towards life and literature. She always does what she wants, she is a truly free person - free from stress, from overwork, from dictate: be it the dictate of society or the dictate of her favorite business. “I write instinctively, as I live or breathe.” This is probably why many people, mired in obligations, debts, and vanity, need her books like a breath of fresh air. This is probably why Sagan has many friends.

Françoise's youthful admiration for Sartre grew into warm feelings for the idol of her youth, into a deep understanding of his complex creative path.

In 1980, Sagan published an open letter to Sartre, in which she called him the most honest and intelligent writer of his generation. In addition to common literary interests, these two famous Frenchmen were connected by common pranks. One day, Françoise laughingly told reporters that she ran into Jean-Paul nose to nose... in a certain “dating house.” Everyone came there with their companion. They often dined together in restaurants. And since the writer was almost blind towards the end of his life, Françoise was allowed to cut meat on a plate for him.

Sagan also had a long-term intimate friendship with former French President Francois Mitterrand. The writer was proud that during the years of their communication they never talked about politics.

Sagan once admitted that her paternal grandmother was Russian, and therefore she explains her penchant for games and adventures as “Russianness.” Perhaps the passionate love of the domestic reader for Françoise is explained by this almost forgotten fact of kinship. In any case, in the vast expanses of Russia, Sagan is a popular name.

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