Marie Darrieussecq's 'Sleepless' Explores the Torment of Insomnia

Marie Darrieussecq, a Paris-based novelist, journalist, art writer, and psychoanalyst, has published a new memoir titled 'Sleepless' (translated by Penny Hueston, Fitzcarraldo Editions, £12.99). The book, originally released in French in 2021, chronicles her 22-year struggle with insomnia that began after the birth of her first child. Darrieussecq investigates the history and literature of sleeplessness, drawing on psychiatry, sorcery, genocide, street lighting, and personal experiences. She describes the insomniac's state as 'not so much in dialogue with sleep as with the apocalypse.' The narrative incorporates references to film, music, and art, including a nod to Charlotte Gainsbourg's song '5:55' (2006). The author's witching hour is 4:04am. The memoir is structured to mirror the hypnagogic, discursive nature of a sleepless night, aiming to release insomnia's power over her while inviting readers into a nocturnal churn of thoughts.