Marie Darrieussecq

Free

About Marie Darrieussecq

Marie Darrieussecq is one of the leading voices in contemporary French literature. Her first novel, Pig Tales (Truismes, P.O.L.; trans. by Linda Coverdale, The New Press, 1998), was a finalist for France’s prestigious Prix Goncourt in 1996 and became an international bestseller. In 2013, she received the Prix Medicis for her novel Men: A Novel of Cinema and Desire (Il faut beaucoup aimer les hommes, P.O.L.; trans. by Penny Hueston, Semiotext(e), 2016). Marie Darrieussecq has also worked as a translator and psychoanalyst. In 2022, she was a resident at Villa Albertine.



About Sleepless: A Memoir of Insomnia



(trans. by Penny Hueston, Semiotext(e), 2023)

Plagued by insomnia for twenty years, Marie Darrieussecq studies, in her book Sleepless, the causes, implications and consequences of sleeplessness. Inspired by her personal experience, Darrieussecq also turns to literature, geopolitical history, and psychoanalysis to better understand where insomnia comes from and what it might mean. Raging between autobiography, clinical observation, and criticism, Sleepless is a graceful, inventive meditation by one of the most daring, inventive novelists writing today.

Sleepless was released in the United States in September 2023.

Our partners

This event is a part of Villa Albertine’s Authors on Tour program.

Upcoming Events

Wine Seminar: Les Vendanges! Celebrating the French Grape Harvest

GASTRONOMY & WINE PROGRAM: YOUR FRENCH CULINARY ARTS AND WINE JOURNEY

Thursday, September 17, 2026

An elegant wine education series exploring France’s most important regions through the lens of culture, tradition, and taste. Each class embraces a region and incorporates a book as a narrative guide - framing the wines, places, and people that shaped France’s enduring wine culture. Across the series, we’ll move through key French regions in a cohesive tasting journey, offering both seasoned enthusiasts and curious newcomers a deeper, more intuitive understanding of French wine, guided by storytelling, expert insight, and shared conversation.

Read More
Friday, September 18, 2026

Seeking opportunities to speak French? Join us for our popular members-only conversation gathering.

Read More
Saturday, September 19, 2026

We invite parents and children to gather in the children's room of our library for a magical story time in French!

Read More