A Lifetime (Color Illustration Edition)

Author: (French) Guy de Maupassant
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2005-12-01
Features: Bel-Ami is the first long by Guy de Maupassant, a renowned French 19th-century critical realist writer. It is one of the six novels he wrote in his lifetime and has had a significant impact. The novel, written in a simple yet delicate style, depicts the journey of Jeanne, a pure and innocent girl from a declining aristocratic family, who enters the world of life only to face a series of misfortunes—her husband's betrayal, the death of her parents, and her only son leaving home. In the process of disappointment, she gradually ages. The novel summarizes a fundamental state of human life: life is neither as good nor as bad as we imagine. It showcases Maupassant's skill in writing short novels and his mastery in long, earning him the reputation of a great writer and consolidating and elevating his status in the French literary world. At the same time, it reflects Maupassant's advocacy of naturalism, achieving the artistic effect he pursued—"moving the heart with simple truth." It is one of the 37 world classics recommended by Mao Dun for Chinese readers. It has been selected for the list of outstanding classical works compiled by renowned scholars such as Japanese Tatsuo Joshima.