Marie Susini

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

Early life and education

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

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

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

• 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.