[Deathwatch] Francoise Sagan, author, 69

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

French Author Francoise Sagan Dies - Hospital

By Tim Heritage

PARIS (Reuters) - French author Francoise Sagan, who shot to fame with
her first novel "Bonjour Tristesse" at the age of 18, died on Friday, a
hospital spokesman said. Sagan, who was 69, courted controversy
throughout her life and lived the Bohemian lifestyle she portrayed in
her writing. She was a longstanding friend of late President Francois
Mitterrand and was convicted of taking drugs and for tax fraud.

"Francoise Sagan died today," said Yves Buzen, spokesman for the
hospital in Honfleur, in Normandy, where she died. He said she had
spent the last few days there and died of heart failure, but gave no
other details.

Sagan was born in 1935 into a wealthy family, and burst onto the
literary scene with Bonjour Tristesse (Hello Sadness) in 1954, a tale
about spoilt children of the bourgeoisie.

The story of a 17-year-old girl's plot to break up her father's
engagement to his former mistress was seen as a breath of fresh air and
was an immediate success. It was later translated into many other
languages.

Also a playwright and screenwriter, Sagan was known for her
dispassionate portrayals of bored, amoral middle-class people.

Sagan was found guilty of fiscal fraud and given a 12-month suspended
jail sentence in 2002 for not declaring 830,000 euros (then $723,600)
to the tax authorities.