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Cover of The Charterhouse of Parma by Stendhal

The Charterhouse of Parma

  • 510 pages · about 9 hours
  • First published 1839
  • 554 editions
  • Free to read

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1 About this book

Headstrong and naive, the young Italian aristocrat Fabrizio del Dongo is determined to defy the wrath of his right-wing father and go to war to fight for Napoleon. He stumbles on the Battle of Waterloo, ill-prepared, yet filled with enthusiasm for war and glory.

Finally heeding advice, Fabrizio sneaks back to Milan, only to become embroiled in a series of amorous exploits, fuelled by his impetuous nature and the political chicanery of his aunt Gina and her wily lover. Judged by Balzac to be the most important French novel of its time, The Charterhouse of Parma is a compelling novel of extravagance and daring, blending the intrigues of the Italian court with the romance and excitement of youth.

Good for readers who want: a classic and a long read.

  • Classics
  • Constitutional history
  • Political fiction
  • Political
  • Romance literature
  • Young men
  • Social life and customs
  • Manners and customs

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3 About Stendhal

1783–1842

Marie-Henri Beyle (French:; 23 January 1783 – 23 March 1842), better known by his pen name Stendhal (UK: , US: ), was a French writer. Best known for the novels Le Rouge et le Noir (The Red and the Black, 1830) and La Chartreuse de Parme (The Charterhouse of Parma, 1839), he is highly regarded for the acute analysis of his characters' psychology and considered one of the early and foremost practitioners of realism.

Bio adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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