1925. French writer, humanist, and moralist who received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1947. Gide's search for self, the underlying theme of his several works, remained essentially religious. Throughout his career Gide used his writings to examine moral questions. He is as well known for his influence as a moralist and a thinker as for his contributions to literature. Lafcadio Wluiki is one of the original creations in modern fiction. Gide's preoccupation with the gratuitous action, the unmotivated crime-it has a place in more than one of his books-here receives its most extended treatment, and Lafcadio is the instrument. With characteristic irony, Gide leads the police to a solution wherein the wrong man is apprehended and punished for the crime, while the charmingly perverse Lafcadio goes free. The action passes with cinematographic speed, chiefly in the capitals of Europe. The actors, other than Lafcadio, are noblemen, saints, adventurers and pickpockets. See other titles by this author available from Kessinger Publishing.
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“A joy to read. It is beautifully articulated and superbly written. . . . A glorious and satisfying ‘thriller.’ ” —The New York Times
“In a time of intellectual inflation, . . . Gide’s survival can help us to distinguish between the genuine and the counterfeit. . . . There is nothing like the real thing.” —The New Republic
“Full of gusto. . . . The imagination works freely and the plot marches boldly ahead, galloping through the most preposterous situations without breaking its neck.” —New York Herald Tribune
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
“In a time of intellectual inflation, . . . Gide’s survival can help us to distinguish between the genuine and the counterfeit. . . . There is nothing like the real thing.” —The New Republic
“Full of gusto. . . . The imagination works freely and the plot marches boldly ahead, galloping through the most preposterous situations without breaking its neck.” —New York Herald Tribune
--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.
Language Notes
Text: English, French (translation)
--This text refers to the
Hardcover
edition.
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6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Much more here than meets the eye,
By
This review is from: Lafcadio's Adventures: A Novel (Paperback)
Gide's _Lafacdio's Adventures_ is much more than a book about a young man who commits a senseless crime. It is also far more than just a couple of mascarading crooks who concoct a story of the kidnapping of a high church official as a means of bilking a naive gentleman of his money. Gide has written a marvelously twisty-even slightly twisted-and often hillariously funny crime novel. What places _Lafcadio's Adventures_ far above that genre is its emphasis on the meaning of friendship, loyalty, genuine caring and a real sense of responsibility for another human being that can and often does transform people. Gide takes an interesting look at a social outsider in a fresh and humane way. The result is a truer and far more complex and sympathetic picture of such an individual. Even if I could not quite make out his motivations there is still much to think about in Gide's brilliant study of saints and sinners.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not panning the book, just the edition,
By
This review is from: Lafcadio's Adventures (Paperback)
A warning to those who want to buy this book: It is laid out as if one were reading it on-line, with each block paragraph separated by a full line. Longer spaces between paragraphs in the original edition are not marked as such. Much of the rhythm of the original book (or its original translation, at any rate) is lost in this format.
4.0 out of 5 stars
An Examination of an Exceedingly Relevant Question,
This review is from: Lafcadio's Adventures: A Novel (Paperback)
I came to this after reading, and loving, The Immoralist, and I was not disappointed. In this novel, Gide seems to be continuing the examination of personal responsibility to others and oneself--there's very little logical reason to avoid that which society considers "bad," (murder, stealing) so long as there is a good chance of anonymity. This sort of question has continued relevance to a modern audience, and Gide offers some interesting outcomes.
As for the translation, admittedly never having read the French, it seemed a bit wordy compared to the economy of version The Immoralist I'm familiar with. However as I have not compared the styles of the novels in their original tongue I can't say if this discrepancy lies there or with the different translators.
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First Sentence:
In 1890, during the pontificate of Leo XIII, Anthime Armand-Dubios, unbeliever and freemason, visited Rome in order to consult Dr. X, the celebrated specialist for rheumatic complaints. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Holy Father, Julius de Baraglioul, Father Cave, Father Anselm, Comtesse de Saint-Prix, Count Julius, Comte de Baraglioul, Anthime Armand-Dubois, Grand Hotel, Madame Carola, Lafcadio Wluiki, Roman Plaster, Rue de Verneuil, Cardinal Pazzi, Cardinal San-Felice, Carola Venitequa, Genevieve de Baraglioul, Madame Fleurissoire, Marguerite de Baraglioul, Marquis de Gesvres, Monsieur de Baraglioul, Monsieur Defouqueblize, Uncle Anthime, Valentine de Saint-Prix, Father April New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
In 1890, during the pontificate of Leo XIII, Anthime Armand-Dubios, unbeliever and freemason, visited Rome in order to consult Dr. X, the celebrated specialist for rheumatic complaints. Read the first page Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Holy Father, Julius de Baraglioul, Father Cave, Father Anselm, Comtesse de Saint-Prix, Count Julius, Comte de Baraglioul, Anthime Armand-Dubois, Grand Hotel, Madame Carola, Lafcadio Wluiki, Roman Plaster, Rue de Verneuil, Cardinal Pazzi, Cardinal San-Felice, Carola Venitequa, Genevieve de Baraglioul, Madame Fleurissoire, Marguerite de Baraglioul, Marquis de Gesvres, Monsieur de Baraglioul, Monsieur Defouqueblize, Uncle Anthime, Valentine de Saint-Prix, Father April New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 3
books:
- Moll Flanders (Norton Critical Editions) by Daniel Defoe on page 57
- Lord Jim (Everyman's Library) by Joseph Conrad on page 204
- Lord Jim (Oxford Bookworms) by Joseph Conrad on page 204
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