Fou Lei Translation Collection (Complete 15 Volumes) Boxed Set

Author: Fu Lei
Publisher:
Publication Date: 1998-01-01
Features: Fu Lei once regarded his translations as meeting the criteria of "fluent writing, rich word usage, and varied imagery." Undoubtedly, the 15-volume Collected Translations of Fu Lei is a testament to his life's work. In terms of his creative career, it spanned 27 years; by the year of publication of his translations, it lasted 46 years. Over this long period, Fu Lei's translations evolved from the initial awkwardness to the later maturity and refinement, undergoing a transformation and gradual development, ultimately forming what is now the widely celebrated "Fu-style translation." The box-set hardcover published by Anhui Literature Publishing is a valuable collectible edition. (All 15 volumes are available for individual purchase!) Collected Translations of Fu Lei includes all 15 volumes, available for individual purchase! (If you wish to purchase a single volume of Collected Translations of Fu Lei, please click on the "Browse the series: Masterpieces of Fu Translation" above to purchase individual volumes!) John Christopher This is one of the most influential novels worldwide and across generations in China, a long narrative that advocates humanism and heroism. It is the masterpiece of the Nobel Prize-winning author, Roman Rolland. It is not just a novel but a great epic of humanity, depicting not the struggles in material terms but those in the spiritual realm, not the conquest of the external world but the triumph over the world itself. It is a mirror reflecting countless souls and an adventure story of heroes and sages throughout history, much like a grand symphony by Beethoven. It will forever influence and inspire future generations. The Three Lives of the Giants by Roman Rolland is a biography of giants in music, art, and literature—Beethoven: The Heroic Life, Michelangelo: A Life, and Tolstoy: A Life. It is one of the most profound biographies of famous figures. The Philosophy of Art by Hippolyte Taine is not only a scientific insight into aesthetics but also a general treatise on the history of art. It does not follow the form of a typical textbook but instead points out the main trends of artistic development with profound and erudite insights. Reading it is both fascinating and highly beneficial.
Zong Xinglu
The central theme of Disillusionment is the story of two talented and ambitious young men whose ideals are shattered. Through the experiences of these two young men, the author portrays the broad social landscape of France during the Restoration period. This novel almost encapsulates the author's own major life experiences and deepest reflections. Balzac himself called Disillusionment "the work that stands at the forefront of my writings."
Old Goriot Critics have likened Old Goriot to a modern King Lear. The characters in Balzac's works are not just individuals but symbols of their times, and the tragic elements are not limited to personal temperament but are particularly rooted in the corrupt and decadent social environment. The relentless pursuit of fame and fortune by power-hungry individuals intertwines with the desperate paternal love of Old Goriot, making the novel's content even more fantastical and gripping. This is one of the most earnest and brilliant translations by Master Fu Lei.
Eugenie Grandet The typical miser, Grandet, symbolizes the modern man's god—a powerful yet merciless. To amass wealth, he exploits others; to save a few coins, he is stingy with his family. The golden chains of greed and the misfortune of love lead to a dual tragedy for Eugenie Grandet. In Balzac's works, this is a structurally classical novel, with concise, refined, and natural prose, resembling a primitive epic.
Uncle Boonzaier Uncle Boonzaier is a musician, an honest and noble man who earns his living. He has a great love for painting. To seize the of the solitary Boonzaier, pretentious figures like Justice Champion Camusault resort to all manner of schemes and vicious means, stopping at nothing to achieve their goals. For Boonzaier, collecting famous paintings is an noble hobby; for his wealthy relatives, they are merely a means to riches.
The Rise and Fall of Pierrot The novel tells the story of a seemingly ordinary pollen merchant who, driven by a ridiculous ambition, plummets from prosperity to destitution, transforming into a penniless Pierrot on the stage of La Comédie Humaine. He has become one of the most enduring and timeless characters in the work. It is not only a historically significant commercial novel but also a highly amusing bourgeois scene painting.
The Water-Miller Around the ruthless and cruel Philip are the zombie-like lives of, the shameless farce of the water-millers, the treacherous schemes of Max, and the desperate struggles of retired soldiers. The variety of characters and scenes make this novel one of Balzac's masterpieces with the most complex plot and richest colors. Some say as long as French novels endure, this novel will forever be discussed and studied.
Colonel Chabert This includes three tragic novellas centered on marital relationships: Colonel Chabert, Ononina, and The Insolvent. Like all of the author's works, each novella presents a stark contrast between good and evil, right and wrong, beauty and ugliness. The virtuous and the wicked coexist, leaving readers both amused and bewildered—precisely because of this, we perceive the profound significance of La Comédie Humaine.
Mémoires de Maupassant This is both a moral history of the Louis-Philippe era and an utterly absorbing tragedy-comedy. The characters in the book represent extreme forms of devotion. The author assembles many typical figures, weaving together their activities, intense passions, contrasts of good and evil, and interplay of light and darkness to create a dazzling and shocking large-scale mural.
Camilla The two novels included here have long become world literary classics, with Camilla being an especially tragic and violent drama. The author employs a simple, concise, objective, and detached tone, without any commentary or personal emotion. The refinement of style and the subtlety of content. Goronda tells the story of the "blood-feud" customs of the islanders of Goronda, where love stories provide a backdrop. The lighthearted and humorous writing contrasts sharply with the original mood and violence of the story.
The This volume includes three classic novels by the great 18th-century French author Voltaire (now translated as Voltaire), The, The, and Cédric, as well as The Life of Voltaire by Maurice Maeterlinck. The is the love story of an innocent and simple young man. The tells the story of a French youth raised among the uncharted tribes of Canada. Cédric follows the philosophy of "saving oneself by prudence," yet misfortunes continually befall him. The three novels use a humorous tone and legendary tales to satirize and critique reality, elucidating philosophical truths. They are among Master Fu Lei's most mature translations.
Loves and Sacrifices This collection includes two works by the famous French biographer and novelist Maurice Maeterlinck (now translated as Moréas). These are early translations by Master Fu Lei, aimed at enhancing moral cultivation and improving national quality—"to inspire some hope in those who have become decadent and to lend a little courage to the heroes of battle." They are rare works of moral refinement for our time. Includes Loves and Sacrifices and The Five Great Problems of Life.
Civilization The author is a novelist who knows that reality is never simple. Not only is there greatness in decline, but tragedy also contains comedy. Bitter satire, passionate protest, and mournful cries all cannot suppress a humorous smile. Human stupidity, eccentricity, vanity, and the whims of fate, once subjected to the author's sharp and biting wit, become comical and absurd in the midst of dark times and heroic landscapes, like a dance of ghosts. The book also includes the biography Memoirs of Chloé and the essay The Path to Happiness.