The Little Doctor

by Georges Simenon

in12. 1943. Reliure editeur. 589 pages. envois en suivi pour la france et l'etranger

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1943

About the author

Georges Joseph Christian Simenon (1903 – 1989) was a Belgian writer. A prolific author who published nearly 500 novels and numerous short works, Simenon is best known as the creator of the fictional detective Jules Maigret.
Although he never resided in Belgium after 1922, he remained a Belgian citizen throughout his life.

Simenon was one of the most prolific writers of the twentieth century, capable of writing 60 to 80 pages per day. His oeuvre includes nearly 200 novels, over 150 novellas, several autobiographical works, numerous articles, and scores of pulp novels written under more than two dozen pseudonyms. Altogether, about 550 million copies of his works have been printed.

He is best known, however, for his 75 novels and 28 short stories featuring Commissaire Maigret. The first novel in the series, Pietr-le-Letton, appeared in 1931; the last one, Maigret et M. Charles, was published in 1972. The Maigret novels were translated into all major languages and several of them were turned into films and radio plays. Two television series (1960-63 and 1992-93) have been made in Great Britain.

During his "American" period, Simenon reached the height of his creative powers, and several novels of those years were inspired by the context in which they were written (Trois chambres à Manhattan (1946), Maigret à New York (1947), Maigret se fâche (1947)).

Simenon also wrote a large number of "psychological novels", such as La neige était sale (1948) or Le fils (1957), as well as several autobiographical works, in particular Je me souviens (1945), Pedigree (1948), Mémoires intimes (1981).

In 1966, Simenon was given the MWA's highest honor, the Grand Master Award.

In 2005 he was nominated for the title of De Grootste Belg (The Greatest Belgian). In the Flemish version he ended 77th place. In the Walloon version he ended 10th place.

Reviews

[Ludditus · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le «Petit Docteur» est une idée géniale, Simenon en aurait dû en écrire davantage! Ce petit toubib de province avec sa méthode sans méthode (Maigret, lui, en avait une?) est à la fois naïf et charmant (mais pas dans le genre du docteur Knock, si vous voyez ce que je veux dire), et il aime se désaltérer tout comme Maigret, sauf que pour lui c'est la fine au lieu du calvados. Remarquez qu'il n'est pas un détective privé, mais un déchiffreur d’énigmes humaines, compris?

Quelques-unes de ces nouvelles (et je ne vais pas les nommer) sont magistrales, mais elles toutes offrent une lecture très agréable et divertissante. Certes, il faut aimer l'époque; pas forcément l'avant-guerre, car on pourrait rencontrer ce style de vie même dans les années 1950: avoir «le téléphone» est une chose rare et son fonctionnement dépend du central manuel qui se trouve à la Poste, et la radio s'appelle TSF (bon, c'est 1938, que voulez-vous?). Si vous êtes nés après 1990 passez-vous de cette lecture, vous n'allez pas saisir l'air du temps.

Admettons quand même que dans quelques histoires le docteur bénéficie d'un accueil trop bienveillant, étant donné qu'il n'était pas la police officielle, mais tout n'est pas à 100% plausible dans les polars, n'est-ce pas? Et, au moins dans «Le fantôme de M. Marbe», sans le jeu de coïncidences, rien ne se passerait de la façon. En règle générale, le petit docteur reste sympa, et la curiosité du lecteur demeure vive, alors on ne va pas chercher la petite bête à chaque occasion.

«La bonne fortune du Hollandais», «La piste de l’homme roux» et «L’amoureux aux pantoufles» bénéficient de la contribution du commissaire Lucas. Oui, Lucas est bien commissaire et non pas inspecteur; une version pâle de Maigret, un prétexte pour introduire à Paris notre petit Jean Dollent, médecin à Marsilly par La Rochelle, Charente-Maritime.

Précision: Goodreads ne connaît que la version Kindle, alors qu'on a premièrement l'édition ePub à bon prix: http://www.simenonnumerique.com/fiche...

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted a good book to read -- not too complex, well-written, easy on the eyes, as it were -- so I bought a Hebrew translation of a book by Georges Simenon. But it was immediately clear that the translation was terrible. Luckily, the following week, I passed the only French bookstore in Tel-Aviv and asked (in Hebrew; my French really isn't that good) for a book by Georges Simenon. The only book of mysteries they had was Le Petit Docteur, which proved to be the perfect book for someone like me whose French needs a great deal of improvement. Le Petit Docteur is a collection of novellas; each novella generally 46 pages long (I kid you not -- exactly). Each has a different plot and an insoluble mystery that only the petit docteur succeeds in solving. I have to say I enjoyed the book immensely. The plots were occasionally weak; the stories varied in quality; but the main character, the young, short doctor whom no one took seriously and who invariably spent the beginning of his investigation in a cafe drinking until he was slightly tipsy was marvelous. Simenon had a splendid comic sense and irony coupled with a hard-boiled amorality. I recommend the book highly especially if you wish to practice your French.

[Bob]

Not for me. A collection of short stories all smaller than the thinnest Maigret novel. They might very much appeal to folks who are into more traditional mysteries? But to me there was just too much (kinda corny) detail and not enough Simenon attitude. They feel like any skilled mystery writer could have written them. I can appreciate them as a sorbet that Simenon needed to indulge in during a Maigret break, I guess, but that didn't equal an actually enjoyable reading experience.

[Mikee · Rating 2 out of 5]

A collection of short stories (too short) about a country doctor who discovers he has an aptitude for detection, and who likes it. He has a variety of adventures in which he is more like Sherlock Holmes than Jules Maigret. Cute, but the stories are repetitious and too short. Not enough character or plot development. I didn't read them all.

[Chris Daily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic Simenon with a doctor instead of Maigret. Dr. Jean Dollent does follow Maigret's method of crime-solving, trying to get to understand the inner workings of the people involved in each case. He, of course, has great success.

[George · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Thirteen short stories about a thirty year old doctor who develops a passion for detective work. He is presented with thirteen puzzles and at the end of each story there is a resolution. A light, entertaining read.

This book was first published in 1943.

[Geraldine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ideal bedtime reading - a story and a mystery each night about the doctor with a talent for detective work,

[Danielle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars