The Fat and the Thin (Rougon-Macquart) [Paperback]

Émile Zola (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2005

"The Fat and the Thin" is a study of the teeming life which surrounds the great central markets of Paris. The heroine is Lisa Quenu, a daughter of Antoine Macquart (see The Fortune of the Rougons). She has become prosperous, and with prosperity her selfishness has increased. Her brother-in-law Florent had escaped from penal servitude in Cayenne and lived for a short time in her house, but she became tired of his presence and ultimately denounced him to the police. The book contains vivid pictures of the markets, bursting with the food of a great city, and of the vast population which lives by handling and distributing it. "But it also embraces a powerful allegory," writes Mr. E. A. Vizetelly in his preface to the English translation, "the prose song of the eternal battle between the lean of this world and the fat - a battle in which, as the author shows, the latter always come off successful. M. Zola had a distinct social aim in writing this book." (J. G. Patterson)

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: French --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 316 pages
• Publisher: Mondial (August 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595690522
• ISBN-13: 978-1595690524
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,253,579 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best of Zola's Rougon-Macquart books, May 20, 2006

By 

Peter Dale (New York, NY, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fat and the Thin (Rougon-Macquart) (Paperback)

This is a great book about the life around Les Halles in 19th century Paris. It looks like there is no other translation than this one by Ernest Vizetelly from over 100 years ago (correct me if I am wrong). Therefore, when another reviewer below writes "but there are several mistakes in translation" and "there is an entire section in which the translator removed a description of Zola's, because he thinks the English audience wouldn't be interested", then this is certainly correct, but as long as nobody translates this book again, we will have to live with this. And the reader should not forget that E. Vizetelly was Zola's "official" translator, his translations were the only ones authorized by Zola, they knew each other personally very well and helped each other during hard times, and some of the old-worldish British 19th century linguistic charme that Vizetelly used for this translation (and his other Rougon-Macquart translations) cannot be reproduced by any modern, 21st century translator. His Zola translations are classics, with all their faults!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars New translation!, August 6, 2007

By 

mary (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fat and the Thin (Paperback)

This is not a review, but news:
Oxford World Classics is set to release a new translation in November 2007, under the title "The Belly of Paris"
ISBN: 978-0-19-280633-8

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Great Book with Bad Translation/Print, February 6, 2006

By 

Irene Music - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Fat and the Thin (Rougon-Macquart) (Paperback)

I am unsure if this book is available in English trans from someone other than Ed Vit. and Mondial book publishers, but there are several mistakes in translation that are more oversights and bad editing than any real translational problem between English/French. As well, there is an entire section in which the translator removed a description of Zola's, because he thinks the English audience wouldn't be interested. Incase he's reading this, I was interested. Zola is an excellent observer, that's part of the charm of his writing, his fabulous descriptions that allow the reader to nearly take part in an event for which they were not present, the descriptions are so detailed and interesting. To have instead an astrisk by Ed telling me at the bottom of the page that my sentiments couldn't take the brutal description...if there isn't a new translation, there needs to be one and a better edited version too!

That said, of course, even shoddy trans and editing mistakes can't ruin Zola. I am half way through and just like all others this novel immediately presents great characters that make you curious for more and keep you hooked until the end!!