The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter [Paperback]

Henri Murger (Author), Ellen Marriage (Translator), John Selwyn (Translator), Maurice Samuels (Introduction)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0812218841 | ISBN-13: 978-0812218848 | Publication Date: June 21, 2004

"Today, as of old, every man who enters on an artistic career, without any other means of livelihood than his art itself, will be forced to walk in the paths of Bohemia."—from the Preface

Based largely upon Henri Murger's own experiences and those of his fellow artists, The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter was originally produced as a play in 1849 and first appeared in book form in 1851. It was an immediate sensation. The novel consists of a series of interrelated episodes in the lives of a group of poor friends—a musician, a poet, a philosopher, a sculptor, and a painter—who attempt to maintain their artistic ideals while struggling for food, shelter, and sex.

Set in the ancient Latin Quarter, a vibrant and cosmopolitan area near the University of Paris, the novel is a masterful portrait of nineteenth-century Parisian artistic life. "Bohemian" soon became synonymous with "artist," and it is from Murger's novel that the word and concept entered the English language. Drawn from real-life characters and events, the themes of love, sacrifice, and "selling out" are immediately recognizable to the modern reader.

Capturing the heart, spirit, and bittersweet humor of the world of struggling artists, The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter is the universal story of one's attempt to leave a mark on the world.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Henri Murger (1822-1861) wrote for magazines and newspapers and authored several books of fiction but is remembered today only for this novel of artistic life in nineteenth-century Paris.

About the Author

Henri Murger (1822-1861) wrote for magazines and newspapers and authored several books of fiction but is remembered today only for this novel of artistic life in nineteenth-century Paris.

Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press (June 21, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812218841
• ISBN-13: 978-0812218848
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,253,084 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

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Anybody else have a strange pagination issue with Chapter 2?, July 16, 2008

By 

merlebuck (Macon, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bohemians of the Latin Quarter (Hardcover)

I'd be inclined to give this book a far more positive star rating, but when beginning to read Chapter 2, it had the exact same text as Chapter 1. Since it was clearly marked as Chapter 2 and the chapter title was accurate, as was the page indexing for each page, this is obviously not a printer's error in repeating a page signature.

Does anyone else have the same problem? I am weighing my options in what to do with this book. I don't want to go to the trouble of getting a replacement copy if all copies of the book are so afflicted.

This refers to the softcover edition. Thank you for any help!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The hilarious source material for RENT..., November 18, 2007

By 

Scott E. Miller "author, director, composer" (St. Louis, MO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter (Paperback)

Truly one of the funniest novels I've ever read -- THIS is the source material for the rock musical RENT, much more so than the opera is. Anyone who loves RENT should read this incredibly contemporary feeling novel about a bunch of selfish, self-involved, self-important artist friends who run roughshod over the rest of the world. Though there are serious, more emotional scenes, much of the novel is laugh-out-loud funny! It's rare that I've enjoyed a novel this much...