Describe Books In Favor Of Bel-Ami
| Original Title: | Bel-Ami |
| ISBN: | 0140443150 (ISBN13: 9780140443158) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Characters: | Rachel, Georges Duroy (Du Roy), Charles Forestier, Madeleine Forestier (Du Roy), Monsieur Laroche-Mathieu, Comte de Vaudrec, Clotilde de Marelle, Laurine de Marelle, Jacques Rival, Norbert de Varenne, Monsieur Walter, Virginie Walter, Suzanne Walter |
| Setting: | Paris(France) |
Guy de Maupassant
Paperback | Pages: 416 pages Rating: 3.84 | 27235 Users | 1250 Reviews
Point Regarding Books Bel-Ami
| Title | : | Bel-Ami |
| Author | : | Guy de Maupassant |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | First Edition |
| Pages | : | Pages: 416 pages |
| Published | : | November 30th 1975 by Penguin Books (first published 1885) |
| Categories | : | Classics. Fiction. Cultural. France. European Literature. French Literature. Literature. 19th Century. Romance |
Description Supposing Books Bel-Ami
Guy de Maupassant's scandalous tale of an opportunistic young man corrupted by the allure of power, "Bel-Ami" is translated with an introduction by Douglas Parmee in "Penguin Classics". Young, attractive and very ambitious, George Duroy, known to his admirers as Bel-Ami, is offered a job as a journalist on La Vie francaise and soon makes a great success of his new career. But he also comes face to face with the realities of the corrupt society in which he lives - the sleazy colleagues, the manipulative mistresses, and wily financiers - and swiftly learns to become an arch-seducer, blackmailer and social climber in a world where love is only a means to an end. Written when Maupassant was at the height of his powers, "Bel-Ami" is a novel of great frankness and cynicism, but it is also infused with the sheer joy of life - depicting the scenes and characters of Paris in the belle epoque with wit, sensitivity, and humanity. Douglas Parmee's translation captures all the vigour and vitality of Maupassant's novel. His introduction explores the similarities between Bel-Ami and Maupassant himself and demonstrates the skill with which the author depicts his large cast of characters and the French society of the Third Republic.Rating Regarding Books Bel-Ami
Ratings: 3.84 From 27235 Users | 1250 ReviewsAssessment Regarding Books Bel-Ami
I have been to 19th century Paris, but I barely knew it. Because I have read a book with a style, with themes, with a story, that felt so very, very contemporary. This is a story of journalists with dubious ethics, of politicians who use their position for personal gain, of men and women caught up in the quest for power, money and social status. And at the centre of it all is Georges Duroy. He was an ordinary man, a former soldier, who rose from the bottom of society to the very top. An oldLife is a slope. As long as youre going up youre looking towards the top and you feel happy; but when you reach it, suddenly you can see the road going downhill and death at the end of it all. Its slow going up but quick going down.Georges Duroy is a frightful snob and a wonderful creation by Maupassant, as he exposes French demi-monde society for all its shameful, tawdry hypocrisy. The story is fast paced and our anti-anti-hero, blessed with good looks and no education to speak of, but endowed
For a novel published in 1885 and set in the Paris of that period, this novel has a remarkably modern feel. It's about sleazy journalism, corrupt politicians, sex, money and power. And through it all is the Bel-Ami of the title - Georges Duroy, who uses his liaisons with rich and / or powerful women to achieve the wealth and social position he craves. Bel-Ami is the nickname given to him by the daughter of a mistress. It means "handsome (or beautiful) friend", but the nickname, like almost
Maupassant's accidental careerist moves with charm fromboudoirs to ballrooms in this worldly social comedy. Thestory is very contemporary : it reveals print journalismwith its tricky newshounds, vulgar publishers and ambitiousscenesters - pretentious, posturing - for whom insincerityis almost enough. The observant Maupassant says that toooften nothing succeeds like mediocrity and a big portionof luck. Ironic, pitiless and monstrously humane.
Here's to scalawags; I loved this tale of triumph about an absolute bastard who quickly understands how the world works. I thought at times that Bel-Ami was an almost self-conscious pastiche of sorts, including the better bits from previous hallmark novels of Parisian decadence. Apparently, such wasn't exclusively the case. The novel remains an incredible joy, a vibrant pulse of narrative curiosity and folly.
Bel-Ami ... What a great discovery! I honestly enjoyed reading this. It is fluid and addictive, really, and Maupassant offers a good range of characters of the time, more or less interesting but with a role in the plot, which I greatly appreciate; I particularly liked the pessimism (however realistic) of the poet Norbert de Varenne - I also believe that Maupassant has a bit of him in that character (they are both obsessed and consumed by the idea of death , especially).That, in any case,
826. Bel-Ami = The History of a Scoundrel, Guy de MaupassantBel Ami is the second novel by French author Guy de Maupassant, published in 1885; an English translation titled Bel Ami, or, The History of a Scoundrel: A Novel first appeared in 1903. The story chronicles journalist Georges Duroy's corrupt rise to power from a poor ex-NCO to one of the most successful men in Paris, most of which he achieves by manipulating a series of powerful, intelligent, and wealthy women.The novel is set in Paris
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