“All is for the best in the best of all possible worlds.” — Pangloss Chapter 1: Candide’s Youth in Westphalia Candide, a naive young man, lives in the […]
French literature
The Devil in the Flesh
“I was fifteen. I lied about my age. I said I was seventeen. I was tall for my age, and I looked older than I was.” Chapter 1: […]
French literature
The Flowers of Evil
“Hypocrite reader—my likeness—my brother!”—Charles Baudelaire, The Flowers of Evil Spleen and Ideal The first section of The Flowers of Evil explores themes of beauty, love, and despair. Baudelaire […]
French literature
Dangerous Liaisons
“I resolved to write a book which would create some stir in the world and continue to do so after I had left it.” Letters 1–10: The Game […]
French literature
The Charterhouse of Parma
“To the happy few.” — Stendhal, dedication in The Charterhouse of Parma Part 1: Early Life and Napoleon’s War The novel opens with Fabrizio del Dongo, a young […]
French literature
The Red and the Black
“The truth, the harsh truth.” — Stendhal, The Red and the Black The Red and the Black follows Julien Sorel, a young, ambitious man from a provincial French […]
French literature
Nana
“She was the golden beast, unconscious of her power, corrupting and disorganizing Paris between her snowy thighs.” Chapter 1: The Debut Nana, a young actress with little talent, […]
French literature
Thérèse Raquin
“She was born to lie, to deceive, to conceal, to play a part, to wear a mask.” Chapter 1: The Passage du Pont-Neuf The novel opens with a […]
French literature
Germinal
“Now the April sun, in the open sky, was shining in its glory, and warming the earth that nourished this terrible army of workers.” Part One The novel […]
French literature
Swann’s Way
“Longtemps, je me suis couché de bonne heure.”— Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way Combray (Part 1) The narrator, Marcel, reflects on his childhood in the village of Combray, where […]