For a Night of Love (Hesperus Classics) [Paperback]

Emile Zola (Author), A. N. Wilson (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2002 | Series: Hesperus Classics

In these three short stories, Emile Zola presents characters in search of fulfillment—romantic, religious, and financial. Read together, they give us an extraordinary depiction of sexual mores. When the apparently angelic Thérèse commits murder, she offers sexual favors to a petty clerk if he will dispose of the body; the pregnant Flavie manipulates a neighbor’s interest in her dowry to arrange a shotgun wedding; and church-going women find their hunger for Christianity unsatisfied by a vapid priest. These are beautiful and poignant stories unified by the powerful themes of deception and discontent.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Hesperus Press, as suggested by their Latin motto, Et remotissima prope, is dedicated to bringing near what is far—far both in space and time. Works by illustrious authors, often unjustly neglected or simply little known in the English–speaking world, are made accessible through a completely fresh editorial approach or new translations. Through these short classic works, which feature forewords by leading contemporary authors, the modern reader will be introduced to the greatest writers of Europe and America. An elegantly designed series of exceptional books.

From the Inside Flap

‘If I gave myself to you, you'd do anything, wouldn't you?' Unable to reply, he folded his hands together. For a kiss from her, he would sell his soul. ‘Well, I've got a favour to ask you.'

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Product Details

• Paperback: 100 pages
• Publisher: Hesperus Press (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1843910101
• ISBN-13: 978-1843910107
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 4.9 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,310,939 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Three stories on the power of Love, December 9, 2002

By 

F. Orion Pozo "Orion Pozo" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: For a Night of Love (Hesperus Classics) (Paperback)

Emile Zola is primarily known for his novels. Only one English language collection of Zola's short stories has been available prior to the publication of FOR A NIGHT OF LOVE. Ths is a set of 16 stories published by Oxford University Press under the title The Attack On The Mill And Other Stories.

This current collection brings together three stories that the editors claim have never before been published in English. All three have a romantic theme.

The first, For A Night Of Love, tells the story of a shy young postal worker who falls in love with his beautiful, rich, and haughty neighbor. She ignores him until one night when she needs his help. The story tells how far he will go for a night of love.

The second tale is of a young man, Nantas, who comes to Paris to make his fortune and falls in love with his landlord's daughter. She needs a favor from him, but disdains his love. He goes to extraordinary lengths to win her love, but will he succeed?

These two stories of male desire are followed by Fasting, a story in which Zola takes one of his pokes at the Catholic clergy. It portrays a rich woman's sexual daydreams as she sits in church listening to a sermon on fasting given by a gourmet priest .

All three stories are excellent at portraying 19th Century France and the people of this time. It is our good fortune that these three are now available in the English language. The Foreward gives some insight into Zola's writings and the Introduction some background on the stories. A good collection of stories from one of France's greatest writiers.

1.0 out of 5 stars Great story--Archaic translation, August 14, 2010

By 

Serious Reader "mstanford7" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: For a Night of Love (French Classics) (Paperback)

This translation is not new; it's a copy of an early 20th century translation that is archaic and not a translation at all so much as a transliteration. Just "Look Inside" at the first page of text: the awkward syntax and poor grammar that only a crude translation could render. Zola was the ultimate stylist and if you think this poor version is what he intended, you don't know French lit very well. This publisher is not what it purports to be.