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Ταβέρνα - Μαγδαληνή Φερά - Τρεις Θάνατοι
648 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1962
About the author
Émile Zola
2,784 books4,537 followersÉmile Zola was a prominent French novelist, journalist, and playwright widely regarded as a key figure in the development of literary naturalism. His work profoundly influenced both literature and society through its commitment to depicting reality with scientific objectivity and exploring the impact of environment and heredity on human behavior. Born and raised in France, Zola experienced early personal hardship following the death of his father, which deeply affected his understanding of social and economic struggles—a theme that would later permeate his writings.
Zola began his literary career working as a clerk for a publishing house, where he developed his skills and cultivated a passion for literature. His early novels, such as Thérèse Raquin, gained recognition for their intense psychological insight and frank depiction of human desires and moral conflicts. However, it was his monumental twenty-volume series, Les Rougon-Macquart, that established his lasting reputation. This cycle of novels offered a sweeping examination of life under the Second French Empire, portraying the lives of a family across generations and illustrating how hereditary traits and social conditions shape individuals’ destinies. The series embodies the naturalist commitment to exploring human behavior through a lens informed by emerging scientific thought.
Beyond his literary achievements, Zola was a committed social and political activist. His involvement in the Dreyfus Affair is one of the most notable examples of his dedication to justice. When Captain Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully accused and convicted of treason, Zola published his famous open letter, J’Accuse…!, which condemned the French military and government for corruption and anti-Semitism. This act of courage led to his prosecution and temporary exile but played a crucial role in eventual justice for Dreyfus and exposed deep divisions in French society.
Zola’s personal life was marked by both stability and complexity. He married Éléonore-Alexandrine Meley, who managed much of his household affairs, and later had a long-term relationship with Jeanne Rozerot, with whom he fathered two children. Throughout his life, Zola remained an incredibly prolific writer, producing not only novels but also essays, plays, and critical works that investigated the intersections between literature, science, and society.
His legacy continues to resonate for its profound impact on literature and for his fearless commitment to social justice. Zola’s work remains essential reading for its rich narrative detail, social critique, and pioneering approach to the realistic portrayal of human life. His role in the Dreyfus Affair stands as a powerful example of the intellectual’s responsibility to speak truth to power.
Zola began his literary career working as a clerk for a publishing house, where he developed his skills and cultivated a passion for literature. His early novels, such as Thérèse Raquin, gained recognition for their intense psychological insight and frank depiction of human desires and moral conflicts. However, it was his monumental twenty-volume series, Les Rougon-Macquart, that established his lasting reputation. This cycle of novels offered a sweeping examination of life under the Second French Empire, portraying the lives of a family across generations and illustrating how hereditary traits and social conditions shape individuals’ destinies. The series embodies the naturalist commitment to exploring human behavior through a lens informed by emerging scientific thought.
Beyond his literary achievements, Zola was a committed social and political activist. His involvement in the Dreyfus Affair is one of the most notable examples of his dedication to justice. When Captain Alfred Dreyfus was wrongfully accused and convicted of treason, Zola published his famous open letter, J’Accuse…!, which condemned the French military and government for corruption and anti-Semitism. This act of courage led to his prosecution and temporary exile but played a crucial role in eventual justice for Dreyfus and exposed deep divisions in French society.
Zola’s personal life was marked by both stability and complexity. He married Éléonore-Alexandrine Meley, who managed much of his household affairs, and later had a long-term relationship with Jeanne Rozerot, with whom he fathered two children. Throughout his life, Zola remained an incredibly prolific writer, producing not only novels but also essays, plays, and critical works that investigated the intersections between literature, science, and society.
His legacy continues to resonate for its profound impact on literature and for his fearless commitment to social justice. Zola’s work remains essential reading for its rich narrative detail, social critique, and pioneering approach to the realistic portrayal of human life. His role in the Dreyfus Affair stands as a powerful example of the intellectual’s responsibility to speak truth to power.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
August 4, 2025
Ψάξτε να βρείτε την εν λόγω έκδοση των τριών έργων του Ζολά, μα ειδικότερα για το πρώτο, την Ταβέρνα. Κυκλοφορεί σε παλαιοβιβλιοπωλεία, στο metabook, στο vendora κι αλλού. Είναι ένας μοναδικός τόμος, με σχολιασμό και σύντομη αναφορά στο συνολικό έργο του Ζολά από τον Σπ. Μελά και τον Τ. Μιχαλακέα, καθώς και με εκτενή σχολιασμό της Ταβέρνας από τον Στρ. Μυριβήλη.
Ίσως η μετάφραση ξενίσει κάποιους, έχει γίνει πριν από 65 χρόνια και θυμίζει σε κάποια σημεία διαλόγους από ασπρόμαυρες ελληνικές ταινίες, χωρίς αυτό να είναι κακό. Προσωπικά μού θύμισε τον τρόπο και το ύφος που μιλούσε η οικογένειά μου, όταν την παρατηρούσα μικρός σε οικογενειακά τραπέζια. Είναι απλά η γλώσσα εκείνης της εποχής και από αυτή την άποψη είναι μνημείο γραπτού λόγου.
Πέραν από τις ιδιαιτερότητες την συγκεκριμένης έκδοσης, αυτά καθ' αυτά τα τρία έργα και κυρίως η Ταβέρνα πρέπει να διαβαστούν από όλους όσοι δηλώνουν βιβλιόφιλοι. Βαριά, ίσως, εντελώς ακατάλληλα για παραλία, ωστόσο κλασικά με την αληθινή σημασία του όρου.
Οι τιμές στις οποίες μπορείτε να βρείτε τον τόμο ξεκινούν από 5 και φτάνουν στα 30 ευρώ, ανάλογα με την κατάσταση ή με το πόσο θέλει να τον ξεφορτωθεί ο πωλητής. Όλη η σειρά, 16 τόμοι, αν μέτρησα καλά, οι οποίοι περιλαμβάνουν Ρώσους και Γάλλους, κατά βάση, κλασικούς συγγραφείς, αλλά και κάποια έργα του Ντίκενς και τη Θεία Κωμωδία, σε ορισμένα σάιτ πωλούνται ως "εγκυκλοπαίδεια". Άλλο ένα χαρακτηριστικό της εποχής: βιβλία και εγκυκλοπαίδειες πωλούνταν πόρτα πόρτα, από πλασιέ, με δόσεις.
Ίσως η μετάφραση ξενίσει κάποιους, έχει γίνει πριν από 65 χρόνια και θυμίζει σε κάποια σημεία διαλόγους από ασπρόμαυρες ελληνικές ταινίες, χωρίς αυτό να είναι κακό. Προσωπικά μού θύμισε τον τρόπο και το ύφος που μιλούσε η οικογένειά μου, όταν την παρατηρούσα μικρός σε οικογενειακά τραπέζια. Είναι απλά η γλώσσα εκείνης της εποχής και από αυτή την άποψη είναι μνημείο γραπτού λόγου.
Πέραν από τις ιδιαιτερότητες την συγκεκριμένης έκδοσης, αυτά καθ' αυτά τα τρία έργα και κυρίως η Ταβέρνα πρέπει να διαβαστούν από όλους όσοι δηλώνουν βιβλιόφιλοι. Βαριά, ίσως, εντελώς ακατάλληλα για παραλία, ωστόσο κλασικά με την αληθινή σημασία του όρου.
Οι τιμές στις οποίες μπορείτε να βρείτε τον τόμο ξεκινούν από 5 και φτάνουν στα 30 ευρώ, ανάλογα με την κατάσταση ή με το πόσο θέλει να τον ξεφορτωθεί ο πωλητής. Όλη η σειρά, 16 τόμοι, αν μέτρησα καλά, οι οποίοι περιλαμβάνουν Ρώσους και Γάλλους, κατά βάση, κλασικούς συγγραφείς, αλλά και κάποια έργα του Ντίκενς και τη Θεία Κωμωδία, σε ορισμένα σάιτ πωλούνται ως "εγκυκλοπαίδεια". Άλλο ένα χαρακτηριστικό της εποχής: βιβλία και εγκυκλοπαίδειες πωλούνταν πόρτα πόρτα, από πλασιέ, με δόσεις.
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