What do you think?
Rate this book
The Penguin Books of Short Stories
The Penguin Book of French Short Stories: 1: From Marguerite de Navarre to Marcel Proust
New
512 pages, Hardcover
First published October 27, 2022
28 people are currently reading
373 people want to read
About the author
Patrick McGuinness
52 books69 followersBorn in Tunisia in 1968 to a Belgian French-speaking mother and an English father of Irish descent, he grew up in Belgium and also lived for periods in Venezuela, Iran, Romania and the UK. He currently lives in Oxford and in Wales teaching French and Comparative Literature at St Anne's College, Oxford.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 28, 2022
Two volumes of eclectic writing spanning several centuries.
I have to apologise in advance as reviewing both Volume 1 and Volume 2 means there will be some generality to my thoughts but what we have here in these volumes is an absolute cornucopia of reading that encompasses not only many centuries, but many genres, styles and relevance to readers.
I found the introduction (repeated in both volumes) by Patrick McGuinness absolutely fascinating as he contemplates the nature of both the short story and the definition of Frenchness for their inclusion here. I loved the way in which each translator is acknowledged at the end of each story too, along with brief biographies of the authors at the end of each volume, as these features add a layer of interest as well as a feeling of community that transcends the stories themselves. I think it says something about the quality of translation too that the earlier stories in the first volume are equally as accessible as those belonging to the C20th entries in volume two.
With over 40 stories in each volume, there really is something here for everyone. Whilst I was familiar with obvious names like Balzac, Maupassant, de Beauvoir et al, I discovered so many I knew nothing about such as Sarzan by Birago Diop, so that The Penguin Book(s) of French Short Stories became a treasure trove of delight, discovering new authors, styles and literary approaches. I also found myself scuttling off to find out more about those new-to-me authors so that The Penguin Book(s) of French Short Stories have a life beyond simply reading the stories themselves. They are hugely educational whilst being totally absorbing and diverting.
As well as beautifully translated fiction with riveting stories in just about every conceivable genre, The Penguin Book(s) of French Short Stories somehow seem to enhance humanity. They encompass the real and the imagined, the corporeal world and the supernatural, war and peace, the prosaic and the exceptional, with all manner of themes that amplify the human condition and emotions from jealousy and passion through impatience and boredom to elation and love. To dip into both volumes of The Penguin Book(s) of French Short Stories is to dip into the hearts, minds and souls of writers, characters and themes across the ages.
These two volumes are filled to the brim with entertainment that the reader can return to time and again. They would make wonderful gifts and offer an enriching reading experience that I haven’t finished with yet. I’ll be returning to The Penguin Book(s) of French Short Stories time and again. I thought both volumes were excellent and really recommend them.
I have to apologise in advance as reviewing both Volume 1 and Volume 2 means there will be some generality to my thoughts but what we have here in these volumes is an absolute cornucopia of reading that encompasses not only many centuries, but many genres, styles and relevance to readers.
I found the introduction (repeated in both volumes) by Patrick McGuinness absolutely fascinating as he contemplates the nature of both the short story and the definition of Frenchness for their inclusion here. I loved the way in which each translator is acknowledged at the end of each story too, along with brief biographies of the authors at the end of each volume, as these features add a layer of interest as well as a feeling of community that transcends the stories themselves. I think it says something about the quality of translation too that the earlier stories in the first volume are equally as accessible as those belonging to the C20th entries in volume two.
With over 40 stories in each volume, there really is something here for everyone. Whilst I was familiar with obvious names like Balzac, Maupassant, de Beauvoir et al, I discovered so many I knew nothing about such as Sarzan by Birago Diop, so that The Penguin Book(s) of French Short Stories became a treasure trove of delight, discovering new authors, styles and literary approaches. I also found myself scuttling off to find out more about those new-to-me authors so that The Penguin Book(s) of French Short Stories have a life beyond simply reading the stories themselves. They are hugely educational whilst being totally absorbing and diverting.
As well as beautifully translated fiction with riveting stories in just about every conceivable genre, The Penguin Book(s) of French Short Stories somehow seem to enhance humanity. They encompass the real and the imagined, the corporeal world and the supernatural, war and peace, the prosaic and the exceptional, with all manner of themes that amplify the human condition and emotions from jealousy and passion through impatience and boredom to elation and love. To dip into both volumes of The Penguin Book(s) of French Short Stories is to dip into the hearts, minds and souls of writers, characters and themes across the ages.
These two volumes are filled to the brim with entertainment that the reader can return to time and again. They would make wonderful gifts and offer an enriching reading experience that I haven’t finished with yet. I’ll be returning to The Penguin Book(s) of French Short Stories time and again. I thought both volumes were excellent and really recommend them.
March 28, 2023
This is a monumental read and, unsurprisingly, contains stories that range greatly in terms of quality, hence the 4 star rating.
Amongst the better tales within, I would certainly include 'No tomorrow ' by Vivant Denon which is mysterious and profoundly romantic/erotic, but with a genuine twist. However, contrast this with the execrable contribution by the overrated Marquis De Sade which, were it written today, would be rightly vilified as a clumsy attempt at gay conversion therapy.
Many of the tales contain twists which, by modern standards, are perhaps overly familiar and predictable. However, if you suspend disbelief and bear in mind when they were composed, they can still be appreciated. These include Theophile Gautier's 'The Mummy's Foot' and Xavier Forneret's 'A Dream'.
Amongst my favourites in the book are Jules Verne's 'A Drama in the Air', Huysmann's 'Monsieur Bougran's Retirement ' and Flaubert's 'A Simple Heart', though I'm still not sure whether the author is sympathetic to his central character or laughing at her!
One final recommendation is Marcel Schwob's brilliant, unsettling story 'The Sans Gueules'. Horribly prescient considering he died in 1905!
Overall, as you'd expect, a mixed bag but a great overview of the development of the French short story over a 400 year period.
Amongst the better tales within, I would certainly include 'No tomorrow ' by Vivant Denon which is mysterious and profoundly romantic/erotic, but with a genuine twist. However, contrast this with the execrable contribution by the overrated Marquis De Sade which, were it written today, would be rightly vilified as a clumsy attempt at gay conversion therapy.
Many of the tales contain twists which, by modern standards, are perhaps overly familiar and predictable. However, if you suspend disbelief and bear in mind when they were composed, they can still be appreciated. These include Theophile Gautier's 'The Mummy's Foot' and Xavier Forneret's 'A Dream'.
Amongst my favourites in the book are Jules Verne's 'A Drama in the Air', Huysmann's 'Monsieur Bougran's Retirement ' and Flaubert's 'A Simple Heart', though I'm still not sure whether the author is sympathetic to his central character or laughing at her!
One final recommendation is Marcel Schwob's brilliant, unsettling story 'The Sans Gueules'. Horribly prescient considering he died in 1905!
Overall, as you'd expect, a mixed bag but a great overview of the development of the French short story over a 400 year period.
July 29, 2025
The Penguin Book of French Short Stories is comprised of two volumes, and the first volume spans almost 400 years, from the 16th century to the fin de siecle. As with my review of The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories, I am focusing on just six stories from this collection of more than forty. If The Penguin Book of Italian Short Stories revolved around limitations, hardships or eccentricities, then it can be said that many stories in The Penguin Book of French Short Stories are all about absurdities, lost chances, and strange phenomena.
A Passion In The Desert by Honoré de Balzac – ★★★★1/2
“…they ended as all great passions do end – by a misunderstanding. For some reason one suspects the other of treason; they don’t come to an explanation through pride, and quarrel and part from sheer obstinacy.’
This is a story about the French expedition in Upper Egypt. A French soldier is captured by a group of Arabs, and after escaping the “death march”, he finds himself all alone in a desert without a horse. He has already resigned himself to dying when he spots a sleeping panther, whose paws are covered in blood, sleeping next to him. As ever astute when it comes to human relation and unsaid emotion, Balzac concocted a curious story laced with suspense about a man’s relationship with a wild animal.
No Tomorrow by Vivant Denon – ★★★★
Vivant Denon (1747-1825) was a diplomat, artist, Egyptologist, and probably only then a fiction writer, but this is quite a tale of an attempt at erotic conquest. The narrator is a young and lustful lover of the Countess, but he is cornered one night by her best friend, Madame de T. who, in turn, is hoping for the reunion with her husband in a mansion she has not visited in ages. Even though supposedly still in love with the Countess, the narrator becomes smitten with Madame de T as their “souls meet” that magical night, or do they…This is a ravishing tale of longing, lust, and mind games lovers play, ridiculing the theatricality of the eighteenth century French society. The multitude of whimsies, the masks, the falseness of presentation, and the sheer swiftness of love affairs in the Parisian high society at that time meant that one never quite knew whose pawn one was, what game was being played at any particular time, and what amorous advances were worth it in the end.
The Sans-Gueules by Marcel Schwob – ★★★★
This is a very short story by French symbolist writer Marcel Schwob (1867 – 1905), but it leaves a lasting impression. After a blast, there were two injured “figures” discovered – both men with faces so badly damaged as to be unrecognisable. A widow of some man arrives and says that one of barely-alive men must be her husband. The problem is that she does not know which, and the two men cannot provide any answers. She takes home both of them. It is likely that a parable was intended here about the height of absurdity emerging when there is so much devastation, hurt and inconsolable grief.
The Mysterious Correspondent by Marcel Proust – ★★★★
In this story, young woman Françoise has two concerns on her mind: the debilitating state of her friend Christiane, and the annoying, though flattering, letter of hidden passion addressed to her by a mysterious correspondent. She realises quite late that the two concerns preoccupying her mind are linked. This elegantly written story stirs much emotion, but given the nature of the story, it would also have probably benefited from more mystery, intrigue or subtlety in the second half – even if we can guess the identity of the mysterious correspondent.
The Mummy’s Foot by Théophile Gautier – ★★★1/2
This is one fantastical tale of a young man who purchases in one antiques shop the Pharaoh’s daughter Princess Hermonthis’s mummified foot to be used as a paperweight, and finds that his reality shifts and transforms. I loved the whimsy in the story, even if it awes us now much less than it did in 1840. Dramatist Théophile Gautier (1811-1872) penned quite a number of supernatural stories, for example, see his novella La Morte Amoureuse [1836], where a priest falls in love with a female vampire.
Death by Advertising by Émile Zola – ★★★1/2
“Advertising attacked his mind as well as his body“. This is a cautionary tale from Zola (1840-1902) about a man named Pierre Landryof who is in love with “modern progress” and the helpfulness of modern advertisement. He surrounded himself with all the latest gadgets, but seems to be oblivious to the fact that ads also come with exaggeration, fakery and misrepresentation. This is quite a straightforward story of obstinacy and one’s blind belief in mass media. Undoubtedly, it had a stronger impact in Zola’s time.
A Passion In The Desert by Honoré de Balzac – ★★★★1/2
“…they ended as all great passions do end – by a misunderstanding. For some reason one suspects the other of treason; they don’t come to an explanation through pride, and quarrel and part from sheer obstinacy.’
This is a story about the French expedition in Upper Egypt. A French soldier is captured by a group of Arabs, and after escaping the “death march”, he finds himself all alone in a desert without a horse. He has already resigned himself to dying when he spots a sleeping panther, whose paws are covered in blood, sleeping next to him. As ever astute when it comes to human relation and unsaid emotion, Balzac concocted a curious story laced with suspense about a man’s relationship with a wild animal.
No Tomorrow by Vivant Denon – ★★★★
Vivant Denon (1747-1825) was a diplomat, artist, Egyptologist, and probably only then a fiction writer, but this is quite a tale of an attempt at erotic conquest. The narrator is a young and lustful lover of the Countess, but he is cornered one night by her best friend, Madame de T. who, in turn, is hoping for the reunion with her husband in a mansion she has not visited in ages. Even though supposedly still in love with the Countess, the narrator becomes smitten with Madame de T as their “souls meet” that magical night, or do they…This is a ravishing tale of longing, lust, and mind games lovers play, ridiculing the theatricality of the eighteenth century French society. The multitude of whimsies, the masks, the falseness of presentation, and the sheer swiftness of love affairs in the Parisian high society at that time meant that one never quite knew whose pawn one was, what game was being played at any particular time, and what amorous advances were worth it in the end.
The Sans-Gueules by Marcel Schwob – ★★★★
This is a very short story by French symbolist writer Marcel Schwob (1867 – 1905), but it leaves a lasting impression. After a blast, there were two injured “figures” discovered – both men with faces so badly damaged as to be unrecognisable. A widow of some man arrives and says that one of barely-alive men must be her husband. The problem is that she does not know which, and the two men cannot provide any answers. She takes home both of them. It is likely that a parable was intended here about the height of absurdity emerging when there is so much devastation, hurt and inconsolable grief.
The Mysterious Correspondent by Marcel Proust – ★★★★
In this story, young woman Françoise has two concerns on her mind: the debilitating state of her friend Christiane, and the annoying, though flattering, letter of hidden passion addressed to her by a mysterious correspondent. She realises quite late that the two concerns preoccupying her mind are linked. This elegantly written story stirs much emotion, but given the nature of the story, it would also have probably benefited from more mystery, intrigue or subtlety in the second half – even if we can guess the identity of the mysterious correspondent.
The Mummy’s Foot by Théophile Gautier – ★★★1/2
This is one fantastical tale of a young man who purchases in one antiques shop the Pharaoh’s daughter Princess Hermonthis’s mummified foot to be used as a paperweight, and finds that his reality shifts and transforms. I loved the whimsy in the story, even if it awes us now much less than it did in 1840. Dramatist Théophile Gautier (1811-1872) penned quite a number of supernatural stories, for example, see his novella La Morte Amoureuse [1836], where a priest falls in love with a female vampire.
Death by Advertising by Émile Zola – ★★★1/2
“Advertising attacked his mind as well as his body“. This is a cautionary tale from Zola (1840-1902) about a man named Pierre Landryof who is in love with “modern progress” and the helpfulness of modern advertisement. He surrounded himself with all the latest gadgets, but seems to be oblivious to the fact that ads also come with exaggeration, fakery and misrepresentation. This is quite a straightforward story of obstinacy and one’s blind belief in mass media. Undoubtedly, it had a stronger impact in Zola’s time.
September 5, 2025
Not every story in this collection is memorable, but all the French greats are here: Balzac, Zola, Hugo, Maupassant, Proust. It’s an essential introduction to the French short story.
June 23, 2024
"A Rich Tapestry: Four Centuries of French Stories"
The 1st volume of this anthology spans an impressive four hundred years, guiding readers from the sixteenth century to the golden age of the fin de siècle. It is a rich tapestry populated by an eclectic array of characters: lovers, phantoms, cardinals, laborers, enchanted statues, gentleman burglars, retired bureaucrats, panthers, and parrots, all presented through a cacophony of styles and voices. From the romantic affairs of Madame de Lafayette to the polemic realism of Victor Hugo, the supernatural mystery of Guy de Maupassant, and the dark sensuality of Rachilde, this collection is an essential starting point for both newcomers and devotees of French literature.
Part of the latest Penguin national showcase, this anthology follows volumes dedicated to Italian, Spanish, and British stories. Opening with a bawdy anecdote and concluding with Marcel Proust, the 43 stories span four centuries and include many newly translated works. Highlights include Charles Perrault’s classic “Bluebeard,” Voltaire’s pioneering science fiction, prose poems, dream narratives, supernatural thrillers, a Jules Verne duel in a balloon, and the debut adventure of Arsène Lupin, the gentleman burglar recently popularized by Netflix.
Noteworthy contributions include Gustave Flaubert’s refined character study "A Simple Heart," which spans 31 pages, alongside 28 of Félix Fénéon’s succinct and impactful “three-line novellas.” Editor Patrick McGuinness aptly praises one of these novellas for its brevity and power: “Verniot, septuagenarian beggar from Clichy, has died of hunger. 2000 francs were hidden in his mattress. But let’s not generalise.”
The anthology is militantly inclusive, embracing a broad definition of what constitutes a “short story.” While surprisingly light on culinary content, it features more explicit sexuality than one might find in a similar British collection, including lascivious descriptions of women’s bodies. The Marquis de Sade’s “Augustine de Villeblanche” offers a philosophical defense of lesbianism, questioning the reproductive imperatives of nature and culminating in a carnival ball seduction.
Equally provocative is Jean Lorrain’s “The Man Who Loved Consumptives,” where a man named Fauras is fixated on women near death, raising questions about his mental state and emotional depth. Honoré de Balzac’s “A Passion in the Desert” tells of a soldier who befriends a panther in a cave, celebrating her beauty in terms more suited to a human woman, leading to a tragically inevitable conclusion.
On the political front, Victor Hugo’s “Claude Gueux” is a direct critique of capital punishment and a call for penal reform, portraying a decent man driven to murder by the cruelty of a workshop director. Émile Zola’s modern tale features a man obsessed with advertising, filling his home with faulty inventions, and meeting a grimly ironic end.
The anthology also features gems from lesser-known authors. Octave Mirbeau’s “On a Cure” delves into the existential despair of a man who retreats to a lifeless mountain village, while Marceline Desbordes-Valmore’s “The Unknown Woman” resembles Hitchcock’s "Rear Window," with a narrator piecing together a family tragedy from observed hints.
Though no reader is likely to enjoy every story in this vast collection, which is complemented by a second volume extending the French short story tradition to the present day, it undeniably excels in both quality and variety. This anthology stands as a testament to the richness and diversity of French literary tradition, offering something for every taste and interest.
The 1st volume of this anthology spans an impressive four hundred years, guiding readers from the sixteenth century to the golden age of the fin de siècle. It is a rich tapestry populated by an eclectic array of characters: lovers, phantoms, cardinals, laborers, enchanted statues, gentleman burglars, retired bureaucrats, panthers, and parrots, all presented through a cacophony of styles and voices. From the romantic affairs of Madame de Lafayette to the polemic realism of Victor Hugo, the supernatural mystery of Guy de Maupassant, and the dark sensuality of Rachilde, this collection is an essential starting point for both newcomers and devotees of French literature.
Part of the latest Penguin national showcase, this anthology follows volumes dedicated to Italian, Spanish, and British stories. Opening with a bawdy anecdote and concluding with Marcel Proust, the 43 stories span four centuries and include many newly translated works. Highlights include Charles Perrault’s classic “Bluebeard,” Voltaire’s pioneering science fiction, prose poems, dream narratives, supernatural thrillers, a Jules Verne duel in a balloon, and the debut adventure of Arsène Lupin, the gentleman burglar recently popularized by Netflix.
Noteworthy contributions include Gustave Flaubert’s refined character study "A Simple Heart," which spans 31 pages, alongside 28 of Félix Fénéon’s succinct and impactful “three-line novellas.” Editor Patrick McGuinness aptly praises one of these novellas for its brevity and power: “Verniot, septuagenarian beggar from Clichy, has died of hunger. 2000 francs were hidden in his mattress. But let’s not generalise.”
The anthology is militantly inclusive, embracing a broad definition of what constitutes a “short story.” While surprisingly light on culinary content, it features more explicit sexuality than one might find in a similar British collection, including lascivious descriptions of women’s bodies. The Marquis de Sade’s “Augustine de Villeblanche” offers a philosophical defense of lesbianism, questioning the reproductive imperatives of nature and culminating in a carnival ball seduction.
Equally provocative is Jean Lorrain’s “The Man Who Loved Consumptives,” where a man named Fauras is fixated on women near death, raising questions about his mental state and emotional depth. Honoré de Balzac’s “A Passion in the Desert” tells of a soldier who befriends a panther in a cave, celebrating her beauty in terms more suited to a human woman, leading to a tragically inevitable conclusion.
On the political front, Victor Hugo’s “Claude Gueux” is a direct critique of capital punishment and a call for penal reform, portraying a decent man driven to murder by the cruelty of a workshop director. Émile Zola’s modern tale features a man obsessed with advertising, filling his home with faulty inventions, and meeting a grimly ironic end.
The anthology also features gems from lesser-known authors. Octave Mirbeau’s “On a Cure” delves into the existential despair of a man who retreats to a lifeless mountain village, while Marceline Desbordes-Valmore’s “The Unknown Woman” resembles Hitchcock’s "Rear Window," with a narrator piecing together a family tragedy from observed hints.
Though no reader is likely to enjoy every story in this vast collection, which is complemented by a second volume extending the French short story tradition to the present day, it undeniably excels in both quality and variety. This anthology stands as a testament to the richness and diversity of French literary tradition, offering something for every taste and interest.
March 9, 2025
This is a perfect introduction to classic french literature, all the great authors are there plus many more awaiting an introduction. A good cross section of narratives, perhaps a little too slanted to death but that may be a product of the period.
April 23, 2025
An interesting and varied introduction into French literature. The stories I appreciated most:
Honoré De Balzac - A Passion In The Desert
Gustave Flaubert - A Simple Heart
Rachilde - The Panther
Maurice Leblanc - Arsène Lupin's Arrest
Jean Lorrain - The Man Who Loved Consumptives
Honoré De Balzac - A Passion In The Desert
Gustave Flaubert - A Simple Heart
Rachilde - The Panther
Maurice Leblanc - Arsène Lupin's Arrest
Jean Lorrain - The Man Who Loved Consumptives
July 19, 2025
me quedo con que el último relato va sobre lesbianismo (Proust, cómo no)
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews