“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Volume 1: Swann’s Way The narrator, Marcel, reflects on his childhood in […]
French literature
Sentimental Education
“The heart, like the stomach, wants a varied diet.” — Gustave Flaubert, Sentimental Education Part One Frédéric Moreau, a young law student from the provinces, travels by boat […]
French literature
Madame Bovary
“Human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we tap crude rhythms for bears to dance to, while we long to make music that will melt the […]
French literature
The Fall
“May I, monsieur, offer my services without running the risk of intruding?” Chapter 1: The Confession Begins Jean-Baptiste Clamence, a former Parisian lawyer, sits in a dimly lit […]
French literature
The Plague
“But what does it mean, the plague? It’s life, that’s all.” Part One The novel opens in the Algerian city of Oran, described as an ordinary, commercial town […]
French literature
The Stranger (L’Étranger)
“Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday, I don’t know.” Part One Meursault, a detached and indifferent French Algerian, receives news of his mother’s death and attends her funeral. […]
French literature
The Three Musketeers
“All for one, one for all!” Chapter 1: The Young D’Artagnan Leaves Home D’Artagnan, a poor but ambitious Gascon, leaves his home to join the Musketeers in Paris. […]
French literature
The Count of Monte Cristo
“All human wisdom is contained in these two words: ‘Wait and hope.’” Part 1: The Betrayal Young sailor Edmond Dantès returns to Marseille, poised to become captain of […]
French literature
The Hunchback of Notre-Dame
“Great edifices, like great mountains, are the work of ages.” The story begins in 1482 Paris during the Festival of Fools. The gypsy dancer Esmeralda captivates the crowd, […]
French literature
Les Misérables
“The book which the reader has before him at this moment is, from one end to the other, in its entirety and details… a progress from evil to […]