George Sand

by Martine Reid, Gretchen Van Slyke (Translator)

The romantic and rebellious novelist George Sand, born in 1804 as Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin, remains one of France’s most infamous and beloved literary figures. Thanks to a peerless translation by Gretchen van Slyke, Martine Reid’s acclaimed biography of Sand is now available in English. Drawing on recent French and English biographies of Sand as well as her novels, plays, autobiographical texts, and correspondence, Reid creates the most complete portrait possible of a writer who was both celebrated and vilified. Reid contextualizes Sand within the literature of the nineteenth century, unfolds the meaning and importance of her chosen pen name, and pays careful attention to Sand’s political, artistic, and scientific expressions and interests. The result is a candid, even-handed, and illuminating representation of a remarkable woman in remarkable times. With its clear, flowing language and impeccable scholarship, this Ernest Montusès Award–winning biography of the author of La Petite Fadette and A Winter in Majorca will be of great interest to those specializing in Sand and nineteenth-century literature―and to readers everywhere.

Genres: Biography

280 pages, Hardcover

First published February 26, 2013

Reviews

[Ivo Moyersoen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Après une visite au château de George Sand à Nohant, où j’ai acheté ce livre j’ai été très charmée par cette grande dame de la littérature française.
Cette biographie se lit en une foulée. Elle nous emmène dans le monde de Sand qui est passionnant: sa vie, ses amours, son combat politique et bien sûr son œuvre qui m’était inconnu. L’envie de lire quelques de ses innombrables est allumé. Merci à Martine Reid de m’avoir enthousiasmé pour George.

[Lena · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid biography about George Sand. Ever since I read Indiana, I wanted to learn more about this fabled author because 19th century French literature did not treat female characters well. This was a relatively short biography, but it seemed to cover all the major moments and people in her life. It was organized thematically a larger chronological schema.
Not going to lie-- based on this book and my own interpretation of her life-- doesn't seem like she was a girl's girl. Which is unfortunate but all too common. I did find her political views fascinating and am looking forward to reading her pastoral works.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brief but packed with interesting information and very readable. I was a bit disappointed with what seemed to me only the bare minimum of information about her relationship with Chopin; I’d wanted to read more about it from Sand’s viewpoint, since in his excellent recently published biography of Chopin, Alan Walker presents more detail as a Chopin partisan. But I enjoyed this book and learned a lot.

[Jbondandrews · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting brief biography of George Sand.

[Yasmin · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very interesting book on George Sand-if anything the book is too short. I feel as if there was so much more that could have been said on the life and stories of Sand.