Acclaimed Author Leïla Slimani Struggles with Cigarette Addiction, Reveals Quitting Attempts

"I smoke too much and I can’t take it anymore," Leïla Slimani revealed in an interview with New Statesman. All her attempts to overcome this addiction have failed. "Every day, I resolve to quit and every day I start again, despite the patches, the sleeping pills, the gum," she confided. Her wish is to get rid of this addiction.

In this interview, the Franco-Moroccan writer also discussed her childhood. "As a child of the 90s, I was fascinated by Madonna. She flaunted her sex life and sang ’Papa, don’t preach’. For a young Moroccan girl like me, it was incredible. Today it’s Denis Mukwege, the Congolese doctor who treats women victims of sexual violence."

Leïla Slimani remembers the best advice she ever received. Advice from her father. "My father used to say, ’Every day is the first day of your life. What you didn’t accomplish yesterday, you can accomplish tomorrow. Let’s get to work!’ she confided, admiring the feminist activist Louise Michel, the greatest figure of the Paris Commune known for her commitment to the poorest.