Description
THE STORIES THAT INSPIRED THE FILM COLETTE, out Jan 2019.
The second book in Colette's enchanting Claudine series.
Seventeen-year-old Claudine is in despair having left her beloved village Montigny for a new life in Paris. Comforted by her devoted maid Melie, her slug-obsessed Papa, and the trustworthy cat Fanchette, Claudine's instinctive curiosity gradually leads to an awakened interest in the city. Ruthless and sensual, Claudine records her sharp observations and adventures amongst the intriguing characters that surround her, evoking all the glamour and excitement of Parisian life.
Written with striking realism Claudine in Paris is an inspiring portrait of a precocious young girl on the brink of transformation into a woman for her, and our, time.
The second book in the Claudine series which became a cultural phenomenon in early 20th century France - featured in the new, acclaimed film COLETTE, starring Keira Knightley, out Jan 2019.
About the Author
Colette, the creator of Claudine, Cheri and Gigi, and one of France's outstanding writers, had a long, varied and active life. She was born in Burgundy on 1873 into a home overflowing with dogs, cats and children, and educated at the local village school. At the age of twenty she moved to Paris with her first husband, the notorious writer and critic Henry Gauthiers-Viller (Willy). By locking her in her room, Willy forced Collette to write her first novels (the Claudine sequence), which he published under his name. They were an instant success. Colettte left Willy in 1906 and worked in music-halls as an actor and dancer. She had a love affair with Napoleon's niece, married twice more, had a baby at 40 and at 47. Her writing, which included novels, portraits, essays and a large body of autobiographical prose, was admired by Proust and Gide. She was the first woman President of the Academie Goncourt, and when she died, aged 81, she was given a state funeral and buried in Pere Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.
Reviews
Accessible and elusive; greedy and austere; courageous and timid; subversive and complacent; scorchingly honest and sublimely mendacious; an inspired consoler and an existential pessimist-these are the qualities of the artist and the woman. It is time to rediscover them. -- Judith Thurman, biographer of Colette
Her sensual prose style made her one of the great writers of twentieth-century France * New York Times Book Review *
She has been compared to a 20th-century female Montaigne, and it is true that her books offer a manual on how to live fearlessly and joyfully - greedily alive to every sensation and experience * Guardian *
A perfectionist in her every word * Spectator *
Her prose is rich, flawless, intricate, audacious and utterly beautiful -- Raymond Mortimer
Book Information
ISBN 9780099422525
Author Colette
Format Paperback
Page Count 192
Imprint Vintage Classics
Publisher Vintage Publishing
Weight(grams) 138g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 12mm