Marie Cardinal (1929-2001) was a French writer and journalist born in Algiers. Her literary work, which is strongly autobiographical, is celebrated for its courageous exploration of themes such as psychoanalysis, the female condition, mental illness, and the complex relationship with her mother. Her best-known novel, *The Words to Say It* (1975), narrates her journey of healing through analytical therapy, achieving enormous international success and the prestigious Prix Littré. This work, along with titles such as *La Clé sur la porte* (1972) and *Une vie pour deux* (1978), consolidated her reputation as an author capable of investigating the depths of the unconscious with a direct and unfiltered style. Her deeply introspective writing made her one of the most important voices in French literature of the second half of the twentieth century, transforming personal experience into a universal reflection on pain and inner rebirth.