Anatole France (birth name Jacques Anatole Francois Thibault) was born on April 16, 1844 in Paris, France and died on October 21, 1924. He was a great French writer, awarded with the Nobel Prize.
Biography and Career :
Anatole France's father was a bookseller, so he spent much of his time reading books. He attended the ''College Stanislaus'' and when he finished, he started working along his father in his book-store, the ''Librairie de France''. Later, he used the name of his father book-store as his pseudonym.
While years passed, he became cataloguer at Bacheline-Deflorenne and Lemerre and then librarian for the French Senate. He also became part of the Parnassian group of poets and after his participation in the Franco-Prussian War he was horrified. In 1890 his job at the
Senate was abandoned and six years later he was chosen at the Academie Francaise. He was the president of the salon Armand de Caillavet.
In 1881 his publication "Le crime de Sylvestre Bonnard" became famous. So did Anatole. In consequence, the French Academy rewarded him with a prize for this writing. The main character in "Le crime de Sylvestre Bonnard" is a skeptical old scholar with French personality.
After 27 years, in 1908, he satirizes human nature in his work "L'Ile des Pingouins". There the penguins are transformed into human beings.
Other important writing is "La Revolte des Anges" which appeared in 1914 and many critics say it's the author's most profound novel. The book is about the guardian angel of Maurice d'Esparvieu, Arcade. He falls in love and joins the revolutionary movement of angels. At the end, he expresses the idea that unless 'in ourselves and in ourselves alone we attack and destroy Ialdabaoth'.
His personal life was pretty agitated. His daughter died in 1917 and he had some mistresses (one of them killed herself).
Quotes :
- "Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened."
- "I prefer the folly of enthusiasm to the indifference of wisdom."
- "The law, in its majestic equality, forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal their bread."
- "To accomplish great things, we must not only act but also dream, not only plan but also believe."
- "Irony is the gaiety of reflection and the joy of wisdom."
- "Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe."
- "For every monarchy overthrown the sky becomes less brilliant, because it loses a star. A republic is ugliness set free."
Important Writings :
- "Penguin Island" ("L'Ile des Pingouins" )
- "The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard" ("Le Crime de Sylvestre Bonnard")
- "Thais"
- "Le jongleur de Notre Dame"
- "The Human Tragedy" ("L'Humaine Tragedie")
- "The Queen Pedauque" ("La Rotisserie de la Reine Pedauque")
- "The Red Lily" ("Le Lys Rouge")
- "The Revolt of the Angels" ("La Revolte des Anges")
- "Crainquebille; Putois; Riquet; et Plusieurs Autres Recits Profitables"
- "Les Sept Femmes de la Barbe-Bleue et Autres Contes Merveilleux"
- "Monsieur Bergeret a Paris"
- "Sur la Pierre Blanche"
- "The Man Who Married A Dumb Wife"
- "The Gods Are A-Thirst" ("Les Dieux ont Soif")
- "The Life of Joan of Arc"
- "Mother of Pearl".
Anatole France Image : nonsolobiografie.it
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