Bored and unhappy in a lifeless marriage, Emma Bovary yearns to escape from the dull circumstances of provincial life. Flaubert's powerful, deeply moving examination of the moral degeneration of a middle-class Frenchwoman is universally regarded as one of the landmarks of 19th-century fiction.
Nana by Emile Zola, Burton Rascoe French realism's immortal siren crawled from the gutter to the heights of society, devouring men and squandering fortunes along the way. Zola's 1880s classic is among the first modern novels.
Sentimental Education by Gustave Flaubert, Dora Knowlton Ranous, Louise Bogan Set amid the revolution of 1848, Flaubert's masterpiece combines political and social upheaval with scrutiny of individual motives in a compelling blend of romance, history, and satire.
The Red and the Black by Stendhal, Horace B. Samuel This landmark of psychological realism chronicles a young provincial's progress in Parisian society of the early 19th century, where he encounters passion, intrigue, and mortal peril.
Père Goriot by Honoré de Balzac, Ellen Marriage This outstanding French realist novel contrasts the social progress of an impoverished but ambitious aristocrat with that of a father whose obsessive love leads to personal and financial ruin. "The modern King Lear"—Leslie Stephen.
Great French Short Stories by Paul Negri Features 12 classic tales, including "The Necklace" (Maupassant); "The Unknown Masterpiece" (Balzac); "The Attack on the Mill" (Zola); plus works by Gide, Daudet, and 7 other authors.
Three Tales by Gustave Flaubert, Arthur McDowall This trio of short stories by the author of Madame Bovary consists of "A Simple Heart," "The Legend of Saint Julian the Hospitaller," and "Herodias." Translated by Arthur McDowall.
