Flaubert : a biography

From the highly acclaimed author of Zola: A Life comes the definitive biography of Gustave Flaubert, author of Madame Bovary . As Frederick Brown reveals, Flaubert was fraught with contradiction -- a sedentary man who took epic voyages through Egypt and the Middle East; a man of genius who could be flamboyantly uncouth, but was fanatically devoted to beautifully cadenced prose. While making much of his camaraderie with male friends, Flaubert depended upon the emotional nurture of maternal women, notably George Sand, with whom he engaged in a justly celebrated correspondence. His assorted mistresses -- French, Egyptian, and English -- fed both his richly erotic imagination and his fictional characters, and his letters provide a record of them. Flaubert's time and place literally put him on trial for portraying lewd behavior in Madame Bovary. His milieu also made him a celebrity and, indirectly, brought about his financial ruin. Flaubert died suddenly at the age of fifty-nine, and soon afterward, his beloved retreat near Rouen was torn down and converted into a distillery to cover his niece's debts. He privately dreamed of popular success, which he in fact achieved with Madame Bovary, but never sacrificed to it his ideal of artistic integrity. Frederick Brown's magisterial biography honors his subject's life, times, and legacy. Gustave Flaubert, Whose Madame Bovary Outraged The Right-thinking Bourgeoisie When It Was First Published In 1856, Is Brought To Life Here In All His Singularity And Brilliance. Frederick Brown's Portrayal Is Of An Artist Fraught With Contradictions, His Wit And Bravado Merging Into Vulnerability. A Sedentary Man By Nature, Flaubert Undertook Epic Voyages Through Egypt And The Middle East. He Could Be Flamboyantly Uncouth But Was Fanatically Devoted To Beautifully Cadenced Prose. While Energized By His Camaraderie With Male Friends, Who Included Turgenev, The Goncourt Brothers, Zola, And Maupassant, He Depended For Emotional Nurture Upon Maternal Women, Notably George Sand. His Assorted Mistresses - French, Egyptian, And English - Fed His Richly Erotic Imagination And Found Their Way Into His Fictional Characters. Flaubert's Time And Place Caused Him To Be Literally Put On Trial For Portraying Lewd Behavior In Madame Bovary. His Milieu Also Made Him A Celebrity And, Indirectly, Brought About His Financial Ruin, Probably Hastening His Sudden Death At The Age Of Fifty-nine. Although Writing Was Something Like Torture For Him, It Preoccupied His Mind And Dominated His Life. He Privately Dreamed Of Popular Success, Which He In Fact Achieved With Madame Bovary, But Adamantly Refused To Sacrifice To It His Ideal Of Artistic Integrity.--jacket. Prologue: Rouen -- The Surgeon At The Hôtel-dieu -- The Cynosure Of All Eyes -- School Days -- Stories And Histories -- First Love -- The Grand Tour -- A Fortunate Fall -- Deaths In The Family -- Louis, Louise, And Max -- 1848 -- Voyage En Orient: Egypt -- Voyage En Orient: After Egypt -- The Perfect Hostages -- Madame Bovary -- On Trial -- An Island Of His Own -- Entering Middle Age -- Imperial Society -- L'Éducation Sentimentale -- War Years -- Orphanhood -- We Are All Of Us émigrés, Left Over From Another Age -- A Fruitful Intermission -- The Unraveling. Frederick Brown. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [599]-608) And Index. Gustave Flaubert (1821-1880), whose Madame Bovary outraged the right-thinking bourgeoisie when it was first published in 1856, is brought to life here in all his singularity and brilliance. Frederick Brown's insightful portrayal is of an artist fraught with contradictions, his wit and bravado merging into vulnerability. A sedentary man by nature, Flaubert undertook epic voyages through Egypt and the Middle East. He could be flamboyantly uncouth but was fanatically devoted to beautifully cadenced prose. While energized by his camaraderie with male friends, who included Turgenev, the Goncourt brothers, Zola, and Maupassant, he depended upon the emotional nurture of maternal women, notably George Sand. His assorted mistresses--French, Egyptian, and English--fed his richly erotic imagination and found their way into his fictional characters. Flaubert's time and place caused him to be literally put on trial for portraying lewd behavior in Madame Bovary . His milieu also made him a celebrity and, indirectly, brought about his financial ruin, probably hastening his sudden death at the the age of fifty-nine. Although writing was something like torture for him, it preoccupied his mind and dominated his life. He privately dreamed of popular success, which he in fact achieved with Madame Bovary , but adamantly refused to sacrifice to it his ideal of artistic integrity. About Flaubert's life, inner world, times, and legacy, Frederick Brown's magisterial biography is a revelation. Contents Prologue: Rouen I. The Surgeon at the Hôtel-Dieu II. The Cynosure of All Eyes III. School Days IV. Stories and Histories V. First Love VI. The Grand Tour VII. A Fortunate Fall VIII. Deaths in the Family IX. Louis, Louise, and Max X. 1848 XI. Voyage en Orient: Egypt XII. Voyage en Orient: After Egypt XIII. The Perfect Hostages XIV. Madame Bovary XV. On Trial XVI. An Island of His Own XVII. Entering Middle Age XVIII. Imperial Society XIX. L'Éducation sentimentale XX. War Years XXI. Orphanhood XXII. “We are all of us émigrés, left over from another age.” XXIII. A Fruitful Intermission XXIV. The Unraveling Epilogue Acknowledgments Notes Selected Bibliography Index About the Author **From the highly acclaimed author of __Zola: A Life__ comes the definitive biography of Gustave Flaubert, author of __Madame Bovary__.**