The Black City [Bargain Price] [Paperback]

George Sand (Author), Tina A. Kover (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 29, 2004

Set against the backdrop of France's industrial revolution, this 1859 novel by the controversial, passionately socialist George Sand follows the fortunes of the dynamic, young metal smith Etienne Lavoute, known as Sept-Epees (or Seven Blades), as he strives to free himself not from the working class but from the woes imposed upon it by grasping mill owners. While ambition is the spur that prompts Sept-Epees to purchase a ramshackle factory he is ill equipped to run, love is the secret cause. For Sept-Epees, however misguidedly, would make himself worthy of the orphaned (like him), wise, pretty, and capable Tonine Gaucher. As eloquent in its exposure of the social ills that afflicted French workers at the onset of the industrial revolution as it is poignant in its exploration of love's turbulent course for the prideful Sept-Epees and the proud Tonine, The Black City reflects George Sand's enduring admiration for the struggles and triumphs of the working class as well as her genius in the characterization of strong, clear-eyed, independent women. If in Sept-Epees she embodies the estimable worker who can make of his craft an art, in Tonine she epitomizes the woman whose successes stunningly defy the conventions of the age.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Sand's work offers as much pleasure in the reading and often more substance and intellectual nourishment as her contemporaries, Dickens, Balzac, Hugo, Stendhal, Turgenev and Thackeray." --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Tina Kover received Bachelor of Arts degrees in International Studies and French from the University of Denver and studied at the École de Français Moderne in Lausanne, Switzerland. She has worked as a freelance translator and interpreter for more than seven years. This is her first literary translation. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Unknown (February 29, 2004)
• ISBN-10: 0786713240
• ASIN: B000GG4I7O
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,994,994 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars French literature at its best, June 16, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: The Black City (Paperback)

If you like Victor Hugo, Emile Zola, or Gustave Flaubert, you will love George Sand. Many people have heard her name but much of her work has never been translated into English, so she is largely unread in the United States. Do yourself a favor and buy this book. The story seems fairly simple on the surface, but it has layers of meaning and truth that will strike you. The love story is very real and beautifully crafted, and the book's hero and heroine would not be out of place in the twenty-first century. I enjoyed every page of this book. You will, too! It's a must-own!

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars On love, life, business, and the Industrial Revolution, March 7, 2004

By 

Timothy Pike (Centennial, CO USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Black City (Paperback)

This short, fast paced novel, artfully translated by Kover, is as much a social commentary on life during the Industrial Revolution as it is a story of true love. The plot is engaging, the characters are convincing, and the story culminates in an inspiring twist. A pleasure to read, The Black City will surely strike a familiar chord with every entrepreneur, aspiring business owner, or anyone who has ever yearned for something more in life. I highly recommend reading it!

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely Great Book, June 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Black City (Paperback)

This is one of the best translations I've ever read, and it is so nice to have another of George Sand's works available in English. The story is surprisingly modern, very readable, with really appealing, human, simple characters. If you've heard of Sand but never read anything of hers, start with this book!