Clair de Lune

by Pierre la Mure

1963. 447 pages. Blue pictorial dust jacket over green cloth with gilt lettering. Pages are lightly tanned and thumbed at the edges, with light foxing. Binding has remained firm. Boards are a little rub worn, slight shelf wear to corners, spine and edges. Corners are a little bumped. Spine ends are mildly crushed. Light tanning to spine and edges. Light wear to unclipped dust jacket with tears, nicks and creases to spine, edge and corners. Light tanning to spine and edges.

Genres: Music, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Romance, Art, France

400 pages, Paperback

First published January 15, 1947

About the author

Pierre La Mure (15 June 1899, Nice, Alpes-Maritimes - 1976, California) was a French author. He wrote the 1950 novel Moulin Rouge about the life of the French artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. This book was the basis of the classic 1952 movie of the same name. La Mure also wrote the book Beyond Desire about the life of Cécile and Felix Mendelssohn and the biographical novel "Claire de Lune" on the life and struggles of French composer Claude Debussy, published in 1962.

Bibliography:

* John D. Rockefeller (1937)
* Gongs in the Night, Reaching the Tribes of French Indo-China (1943)
* Moulin Rouge; a novel based on the life of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (American edition 1950)
* Beyond Desire: A Novel Based on the Life of Felix and Cécile Mendelssohn (1955), ISBN 0871402068
* Clair de lune,: A novel about Claude Debussy (1962)
* The private life of Mona Lisa (1975), ISBN 0316513008

Reviews

[Violet wells · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first novel I remember loving to bits. I think I was about twelve when I read it. I loved Debussy for having no money at all, for pursuing his dream in spite of his wretched conditions, for living in a garret. As a romantic hero he ticked every box. In fact he was probably the first big love of my life. I can still remember how moved I was by the poignant relationship he shared with the hooker Gaby who fed him, gave him money and looked after him during his impoverished years and how mortified I was when he abandoned her the minute his genius was recognised. I was super happy she tried to shoot him! He deserved it.
I'm sure if I read it now I'd be appalled by its lack of literary merit but I'll never do that because it's one of those precious memories you never want spoiled.

[Sophie Saunders · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic read! I found this story so absorbing and atmospheric; plus it filled me in on a few more details of the life of Debussy, who it is about. It is also painfully close to the bone and poignant for any creative person in many ways... If you like classical music, France or stories about genuine people struggling to have meaningful lives, then this is for you!

[Sara✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mesec i 14 dana. Toliko mi je trebalo da završim ovu knjigu. Da budem fer moglo je brže ali imala sam takve dane da je prosto eto ispalo ovako. Međutim, uz sve to rečeno ova knjiga je uprkos svemu bila pravi pogodak. Mnogo sam puta čitala istorijske fikcije iz Pariza sa kraja 19. i početka 20. veka i ni jedna nije ispunjavala moju fantaziju o tom periodu i tom gradu kao ova. Iskrena da budem za kompozitora Kolda Debsija sam samo čula ali nikada nisam poslušala ni jednu njegovu kompoziciju, međutim njegov život prenešen u ovom delu me je ludački zabavljao. Knjiga počinje praktično pre njegovog rođenja, njegova tetka koja nalazi način da priušti sebi lagodan život odlazeći od jenog do drugog bogatog ljubavnika se potpuno i svim srcem "zaljubljuje" u svog malog bratanca i odgaja ga kao svog sina u malom stanu u Parizu gde i otrkiva njegov neverovatni talenat. Baš njegova tetka biće prva značajna žena Debsijevog života a celu knjigu možemo podeliti na žene koje su ga obeležile. Kada ona umre on odlazi kod oca postaje najmlađi član prestižne muzičke škole. U to vreme ocene multi talentovanog dečaka počinju da padaju uglavnom zbog psihičke torture koju trpi kući, ipak on počinje da leti daje časove jednoj kraljevskoj porodici iz Rusije gde se on prvi put zaljubljuje u Sonju, kćerku porodice. Sonja i Kold se vole mnogo, to je ta nevina i lepa mladalačka ljubav gde veruješ da je apsolutno sve moguće. On i naredno leto provodi sa njima gde njih dvoje pričaju o venčanju, i da će zauvek biti zajedno pa onda i leto nakon toga ali ovaj put Sonjina mama je svesna svakog lepog momka oko svoje kćerke i tako se snovi raspadnu. Kold će već u kasnim 40im utujući na turneji po Rusiji opet sresti Sonju sada kako on kaže teško prepoznatljivu govoriće o životu i sećaće se svoje mladosti ima jena sjajna rečenica koja mi se tu dopala i koja jako lepo predstavlja raskid "Dok se vraćao u palatu, gotovo je žalio što ju je ponovo video. Taj susret, osećao je, bio je kao šetnja po groblju, u kojem su stajali jeno kraj drugog ispred nadgobnog spomenika svoje mladosti". Njegova druga ljubav (meni se kroz knjigu činilo možda i najveća) je Arlis. Arlis je žena arhitekte i sve u vezi njigove romanse bi trebalo da bude pogrešno. Ali ironično ili ne nije. Utisak koji ona ostavi na Kolda je toliko jak da dok prati priču nekako navijaš za njihov srećan kraj. Ona razume Kolda i ono što on stvara. Ona je tu na početku njegove karijere gde deo nje formira budućeg njega. Kada je bude sreo mnogo kasnjije Kold će (kao i sa svim svojim bivšim to je velika mana ovog čoveka) videti nju kao "običnu" i "zapuštenu" i tek taada će moći da nastavi sa svojim životom. Nakon toga dolazi Gabi. Baš kao i njegova tetka Gabi je bila jedna od žena koja je kroz život zarađivala kao eskort. Međutim Gabi ostavlja bogatog čoveka kako bi bila sa Koldom. Kroz uspehe i padove formiranje mladića koji će jednog dana biti veliki kompozitor Gabi će biti njegov verni pratilac. Jedan dan će imati sve drugi dan ništa a ipak ona ne odlazi. Ova žena i ja smo kroz celu knjigu imale love hate odnos. I uprkos tome sam joj se na samom kraju divila. Gabi će i kada konačno donese razumnu odluku "ti truni u siromaštvu a ja sa tobom neću" ostati Koldov savetnik i obožavatelj pa govo do samog kraja. Njegova prva supruga je bila Lili. Od svih žena u njegovom životu nju sam najmanje volela. Lili je bila ne samo previše jednostavna već i veoma teška pojava. Kroz ceo deo sa njom deluje kao da je višakk u knjizi i sreća u nesreći je da taj deo traje kratko. Poslednja žena u njegovom životu i majka njegove kćerke je Ema, žena bankara. Ironično za razliku od svih prehodnih mi nemamo baš prilike da upoznamo Emu i njen karater ali ono što je poznato je da su se mnogo voleli.
I tako se završila priča o gospoinu Debsiju. Priča koja realistično i uzbudljivo prenosi Pariz iz mojih snova i baš sam uživala u njoj. Ako ste umetnička duša i večiti sanjar koji je izgubljen u vremenu i prostoru poput mene obavezno je pročitajte uživaćete sigurno.

[Aakanksha Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my review of this splendid book on the following link: http://bookreviewsgalore.wordpress.co...

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this 5 due to the fact it has become an almost comfort novel, given to me shortly before my grandmother past upon finding me listening to clair de lune on my turntable. I adored the book and carried it around with me until I finished it and safe to say it will always stay in my head. A brilliant novel on a brilliant man.

[Velvetink]

* Inherited from Mum's shelves.

[Maša · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meni iskreno nije legla ili sam imala previše očekivanja posle Virdžinije Vulf i Džejmsa Džojsa koje sam tada čitala. Ono što mi se svidelo je to što sam naučila milion puta više o Debisijevom životu nego što sam znala (mada ruku na srce nisam znala ništa). Prijalo mi je na momente jer je tečna knjiga, nije nešto mnogo teška i onda to dopušta da se kontinuirano čita. Međutim, u jednom momentu mi je postala straaaaaaaašno hladna, jer nije imala nikakvu razdradu lika samog Debisija (realno roman je, ne mora i ne može 100% tačno da mu se ocrtaju misli, al bar NEŠTO), osim Debisija, nije razvijen ni jedan drugi lik, svi su bili nekako dvodimenzionalni bez neke dubine, pogotovo je to bilo tužno jer su gomila likova bili žene, koje nisu bile lik za sebe nego uvek nekako zavisne od Debisija (na nerealan tipičan malegaze način). U svakom slučaju, dobra knjiga za odmor od kvalitetnih teških knjiga, jer nije krš, ali definitivno postoje bolje.

[Tahel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book started off wonderfully, describing Debussy's relationship with his aunt, his disconnect from his family, and his troubles at school. It continues to be so, but at some point towards the middle the book starts stretching itself too much. It spent much to long on descriptions of his romantic life (which the only word that can describe it is bad) and his failures, less on his music and his aspirations (as seen earlier in the novel). At some point it becomes so repetitive, so tiresome, that you have a hard time trying to not drop it. Four hundred pages is simple too much for a novel that centers itself mostly around the romantic life of one person. This novel could have been great, but the second half was what truly lowered it's rating for me.

[Vesna Filipovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful book. It portrays life of Claude Debussy. You become strongly attached to the character, his life, struggles, and devotion to music and creativity. The story is beautifully written, you are transported in time to magical Paris from the late XIX century. Since Pierre la Mure is my favorite author this book is one of the best I have ever read.

[del · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5
me encanto que lo cuente como historia y sea tan descriptivo
pero llegando al final fue como: se caso con lily, vino la fama, conoció a ema, se divorcio de lily, se caso con ema, tuvieron una hija y se murió
muy apresurado el final
lo demás excelente
no conocía a debussy

[Milica · Rating 5 out of 5]

a

[Marija Stankovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

Odlična.

[Sara✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Volim da se vratim ovoj knjizi jer volim ovu atmosferu. Da mogu da živim u njoj, rado bih žvela.

[Labookica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ovo je tako obecavalo u prvih pedesetak stranica, a onda agonija zbog zanemarivanja muzickog genija od strane autora, i citave tri stotine stranica protracenih na promiskuitetnu stranu njegove licnosti i "soap-opera" momente Debisijevog zivota. I taman kad sam pomislila da necu moci da pregrmim jos jednu aferu poslije citave te plejade zenskih likova, i da cu knjigu odloziti na policu da skuplja prasinu, desila se Su-su. Koliko ljepote je La Mir unio u taj mali lik, a da mozda toga nije bio ni svjestan, zaradivsi "Mjesecini" bez "Mjesecine", ⭐ vise.
Sve u svemu, lijepo stivo za ljubitelje ljubica. Ja u njoj (izuzev Su-Su) nisam nasla ono po sta sam dosla.

[Ksenija · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a piano player, I've always been fascinated by Debussy's music. The music was divine and I just had to find out the background of it. So, I went to our local library and got this book.
At first I was charmed. Charmed with the descriptions, with the narration... But, as the plot went by, I've realized that this book is nothing more than a romance novel. A cheap one. Of course, I finished the book, but the only thing this book left me was the impression that Debussy was a deeply immature man and that's certainly not something you want to think about when it comes to your favorite composer.
I don't think the book's worth reading if you're a fan of Debussy's music. If you like romance novels ( which I don't), you might find this one interesting.

[BetseaK · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book some 20 years ago. It’s a biography of France's musician and composer Claude Debussy, written as a romance novel. I remember I borrowed it from a friend and couldn’t put it down until I finished reading it.

I found an excellent review of this book at http://bookreviewsgalore.wordpress.co...
and then discovered that the reviewer is: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/....

[Chris Ioannou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just stumbled across this title that I remember reading during my A-Level days; quite a fitting book considered I studied music... and french!!
This book was an absolute joy to read, and was thoroughly hooked all the way through.
Would definitely get the extra half star if it would allow me (Just can't bring myself to get the full 5* rating though!!!)

[Masha · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Tada se dogodilo ono.
Njegova se ruka sledila na notnom papiru. Melodija Mjesečine proletjela mu je kroz glavu. Kao noćni leptir lepršala je i uzlijetala te lebdjela osamljena u svom zanosu.
Zatim je odjednom isčezla.
Te je noći više puta dolazila i odlazila, ali je, naposlijetku, potekla od početka do kraja. Svaka nota urezivala mu se u mozak."

[Logan · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 étoiles

Il y a une raison pour laquelle cette pièce est restée l'une des pièces pour piano les plus populaires jamais écrites. La capacité de Debussy à tisser avec soin les accords et la mélodie de cette pièce d'une manière aussi belle mérite d'être reconnue et pour ces raisons, je me dois de donner cinq étoiles à cette pièce.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Debussy so getting an idea of how his life was, however accurate or not, was fascinating. I did get frustrated at his procrastination but he had a hard life. Living on bread and tea only doesn't help much when it comes to inspiration. I loved the writing too.

[Blonde Venera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful!

[Jennifer Kozak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violin student

I love this. I purchased it on Amazon and it's a great and easy interpretation for intermediate students to play such a great piece.
4 stars