Françoise Sagan, born Françoise Delphine Quoirez, emerged as a defining figure in French literature. She was renowned for her contributions as a playwright, novelist, and screenwriter, with a particular emphasis on romantic themes that often explored the lives of wealthy and disillusioned bourgeois characters. Her literary debut, Bonjour Tristesse, was penned when she was just a teenager and quickly became her most celebrated work.

Growing up in a French Catholic, bourgeois family, Sagan was an independent thinker and avid reader from a young age. Despite failing her examinations to continue at the Sorbonne, she chose to pursue writing, a decision that led her to pen Bonjour Tristesse at the tender age of 18 from her family's home in the south of France. The novel was submitted to Editions Juillard in January 1954 and published that March, earning her the Prix des Critiques later that year. She adopted the pen name "Sagan" because she appreciated its sound and its association with the Prince and Princesse de Sagan, figures from the 19th century Parisian society who are said to have inspired some of Marcel Proust's characters.

Often associated with the Nouvelle Vague movement, Sagan's versatility extended beyond writing as she ventured into directing several films. Her life and works continue to captivate readers and critics alike, cementing her legacy as a pivotal figure in 20th-century literature.