Author talk: Marie & Marie

Overview

Join poet Adrienne Eberhard and novelist Catherine de Saint Phalle for a special In Conversation event about their serendipitous collaboration on the French translation of 'Marie & Marie'.

Adrienne and Catherine reflect on the luck and chance that brought their partnership to life. This includes the historical research Adrienne pursued across France and Tasmania, and the thirteen-year journey of writing that shaped the book. Catherine shares how her family's ties to the French Revolution make the eighteenth century feel more real, and how she connected deeply with the narrative threads and the poetic voice at the heart of the collection.

'Marie & Marie' (Éditions tituli, 2025) centres on the intertwined stories of two extraordinary women, Marie‑Antoinette, the last Queen of France, and her contemporary Marie‑Louise Girardin, the daughter of a gardener at the Potager du Roi.