The Ink Stain: Immortals Crowned By The French Academy

by René Bazin

The Ink Immortals Crowned By The French Academy is a book by French author Bazin, Rene. It is a collection of essays and articles that were originally published in various French newspapers and magazines. The book covers a range of topics, including literature, art, politics, and society. The title of the book refers to an incident in which Bazin accidentally spilled ink on a manuscript he was working on. The ink stain became a symbol of imperfection and the human condition, which is a recurring theme throughout the book. One of the main focuses of the book is the French Academy, a prestigious institution that awards literary prizes and promotes French language and culture. Bazin discusses the history and significance of the Academy, as well as its controversies and criticisms. The book also includes essays on famous French writers and thinkers, such as Victor Hugo, Gustave Flaubert, and Jean-Paul Sartre. Bazin provides insights into their lives and works, as well as their impact on French literature and culture. Overall, The Ink Immortals Crowned By The French Academy is a thought-provoking and informative collection of essays that offers a unique perspective on French literature, art, and society.
This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Paperback

First published June 17, 2004

About the author

René François Nicolas Marie Bazin (26 December 1853 – 20 July 1932) was a French novelist.

Born at Angers, he studied law in Paris, and on his return to Angers became Professor of Law in the Catholic university. In 1876, Bazin married Aline Bricard. The couple had two sons and six daughters. He contributed to Parisian journals a series of sketches of provincial life and descriptions of travel, and wrote Stephanette (1884), but he made his reputation with Une Tache d'Encre (A Spot of Ink) (1888), which received a prize from the Academy. He was admitted to the Académie française on 28 April 1904, to replace Ernest Legouvé.

René Bazin was a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Gregory the Great, and was President of the Corporation des Publicistes Chretiens.

Reviews

[Katherine Holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ink-Stain was an enjoyable turn-of-the-century (19th to 20th) French novel. It begins with a law student researching in an elegant manuscript library and somehow spilling ink on an old tome. The disgusted scholar in the library happens to have a fascinating daughter, the law student finds when he visits to apologize. The book exudes Paris of the time, including a successful painter who stealthily does a portrait of the girl and her father, other interesting friends of the law student, and his eccentric uncle who expects him at his firm in a country town once he graduates. I liked Bazin’s settings and his telling of these people so much that I continued reading the short stories included after the novel. While the novel ended with Fabian’s honor and happiness secured, the stories were much more poignant. They were set in rural areas of France and had a folklore feeling, more of them with tragic endings than happier resolutions. The descriptions made me feel the France of the period.