This is a beautiful book. Albert Cohen writes a long love letter to his late mother. Like in his other books, death is an obsession or rather the discontinuity between life that is everything and death that is nothing. It is a moving masterpiece.

Two centuries or so before "modern" writers began writing experimental novels, Denis Diderot, the force behind the Encyclopaedia effort, wrote this strange and indeed very "modern" novel in which the author leads a conversation with the reader, asking him where he (or she, of course) would want to go and what to do with the characters and the story. Here we see the author in the very process of creation, exposing his doubts, exploring his options, and playing with the story.

There is really no plot as such. Jacques, a man who seems to believe everything that happens is already written "up on high", but who nonetheless keeps making decisions for himself, is riding through France with his unnamed master, a man who is skeptic of Jacques's determinism but who remains rather passive throughout the book. Fate and the creator-author will put repeatedly to test Jacques's theory, through a series of more or less fortunate accidents and situations, as well as by way of numerous asides in the form of subplots or stories.

The novel is totally disjointed and these asides and subplots blurb all over the place, always interrupted themselves by other happenings. The most interesting of them is the story of Madame de Pommeroy and her bitter but ultimately ineffectual revenge on her ex-lover.

Diderot confesses to having taken much from Sterne's "Tristram Shandy" and Cervantes's "Don Quixote". This last novel's influence seems obvious at two levels: Cervantes also talks to the reader, especially in Part Two, and also reflects abundantly on the creative process. Moreover, the tone and environment of the book is very similar to the Quixote: two people engaged in an endless philosophical conversations while roaming around the countryside and facing several adventures which serve to illustrate one or antoher point of view.

Diderot's humour is bawdy and practical and the book is fun to read. The exact philosophical point is not clearcut, but it will leave the reader wondering about Destiny, Fate, and Free Will.

Yeah. Believe all the reviews below. This book really is amazing. It would feel like it was written yesterday, if it was more derivative -- but it's fresh! The language is incisive, no waste, and the pacing and structure are brilliantly fluid. It's smart and funny, too, and completely unpredictable, filled with weird offhand bursts of bewildering narrativity. And yet balanced, apparently sane. I truly enjoyed reading it. It's great.

This book is amazing. It will make many of your conceptions of where things belong in the history of the novel fall apart. Not coincidentally, that is one of the points of this book, being an exercise more than a message: that all apparent armatures of order are one more perspective away from disintegration. This book is really quite sneaky as well. In the beginning, the constant references to the inscriptive certainties in the heavens seem silly. But then little explanations come along (like the geneology of Jacques' crazy horse), and the novel heads down a dark, yet very enchanting road, into a fuzz that's every bit as modern as any you've read. This thing alternately looks like Bunuel, Zola, Stendhal, Faulkner, Kerouac. The picaresque, the uncertain narrator, the structuralists, all seem to be swimming around in this amazing book.

Surely many writers and artists from this era (like Goya) depicted the nobles as effete and incapable of carrying out the governance of the most basic requirements of existence, but here, they also appear (in the image of the 'master') as so withdrawn from the world as to be blind. If you take away all the stories that are told, the only thing that's left of a plot here is the master having his horse stolen right from under his nose while Jacques was gone and then Jacques finding it for him at the end in a beautiful, mock sort of deus ex machina.

This book, like most of Dumas' work is wonderful. His adventure stories still evoke a sense of wonderment and raise the hairs on the back of your neck. Most movies of the same titles do not portray the events as he wrote them, but I have found that most accomodate the tempo or the 'feel' of his novels. I would additionally like to set the record straight on the trilogy argument that I see in most of the reviews in this page. The series was originally published as a trilogy, The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, and Vicomte de Bragelonne. The Vicomte de Bragelonne is now published by most in three volumes: Vicomte de Bragellone, Louise de la Valliere, and finally The Man in the Iron Mask. I have seen it split into four parts with Ten Years Later being placed in between the Vicomte de Bragellone and Louise de la Valliere. This splitting was done because when the three are combined, or rather not split, the novel is large and cumbersome to read. I hope that all this literary information does not detract one from the greatness of this series however, it is truly a wonderful tale to read about, and the story endures through to modern times with the same ferver in which it was released.

Twenty years after, although not as good as the Three Musketeers, is an excellent novel. In traditional Dumas style it starts of slowly to reach the climax late in the book. Twenty Years after is the second in a series of five novels about Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and D'Artangnan. Once again I dare anyone not to get drawn in by these four characters. I recommend that one reads these five book in order (The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, Vicomte of Bragleonne, Louise de la Valliere, and The Man in the Iron Mask). Please write back with any comments.

Out of all of the Alexandre Dumas novels I have read, this is the only one with an upbeat ending. I say this because I have run into more than one person who claims that s/he would like Dumas novels if only things ended well for the heroes once in a while. If you're that sort of reader, this book is for you. If you do like the other Dumas novels, this book is also for you.

Twenty Years After is the second part of the Musketeer Cycle (after The Three Musketeers and before The Vicomte of Bragelone/Louise de la Valliere/The Man in the Iron Mask). It contains everything that makes Dumas, Dumas: unmatched adventure writing, wonderful prose, and beautifully developed characters.

I can't recomend this story enough.

Sorry to disappoint the previous reviewer, but when Dumas wrote this book, the ideas and plot were not new, not fresh, and certainly not original. Robert Wilson clearly outlines the history in his introduction to the book. "In 1838 a police archivist named Jacques Peuchet published six volumes of crime stories taken from the files of the Paris police. In one file was the story of a young shoemaker from Nimes who in 1807 became engaged to marry a rich and beautiful orphan, but because of a despicable practical joke played by four jealous friends was falsely arrested as a spy for the English against Napoleon and imprisoned until the empire fell in 1814. While in prison he had met a dying Italian priest who told him where a great treasure was buried. Upon his release he found the treasure and, using various disguises, cold-bloodedly wreaked his vengeance on those responsible for his misfortune, one of whom had married his fiancee. When Dumas read the story, he knew he wanted to retell it. That real-life melodrama is, pretty nearly, The Count of Monte Cristo in outline." There is also an island named Montecristo that Dumas found enchanting, so very little of this novel is "original" or "creative" material. On the other hand, this should not deter anyone from reading the book because the story itself is fascinating, easily holding the reader's attention. A movie of this tale was made several years ago, starring Richard Chamberlain, and complements the book nicely. I enjoyed both the book and the movie and happily recommend both.

It would be a futile effort to try to express in words just how excellent this story is. Stories that have been called "classics" have been labeled as such for a very good reason. I think anybody who has read and liked Tolstoy, Renault, Shakespeare, Leroux, Homer and R.L. Stevenson will enjoy this outstanding tale.

I highly recommend that the reader keep a couple of sticky notes and a pencil handy. Be sure to compile a list of names and a brief description for EVERY character introduced...you'll need this reference as events unfold.

The book cover/binding itself is rugged and can take a serious beating. For any story that's this compelling and 1400+ pages, the quality of the book itself becomes important since you don't finish such a long story overnight. My book survived the London subways, streets of Paris, German autobahn and my luggage to/from Ukraine--all without any problems. The font is larger than any paperback (or hardcover for that matter) and is easy on the eyes. As with any Modern Library production, the quality of this book is exceptionally top notch.

After watching the movie and then finding myself compelled to read the book, I wrote a review for the DVD version of this great classic by Alexandre Dumas. I did give the adulterated movie 3 stars, even with its deviation from the far superior storyline of the novel (this story does not lend itself to being told in a 2-hour movie). But rather than 3 stars, the book is well deserving of 5, and then some. The tale of the Count is one of heavy, dark intrigue. This is not light reading, and the story will tax your patience and demand of you significant time and concentration if you are to mine its riches. Those with an attention span of a six-year-old need not apply, although any person, young or old, who yields to the lessons being lived out will come away from this book with impressive knowledge regarding the pitfalls of willful ignorance, deceit, and pride; and hopefully a better appreciation for justice, compassion, and love. As for the story itself, Edmond Dantes, a young man of considerable good character, finds himself wrongly imprisoned under dreadful circumstances. He eventually is tutored in prison by a man with extraordinary wisdom-just as the reader is tutored without realizing it as he reads the unfolding chapters. Edmond loses all, gains eternal wisdom and insight, and then begins his true journey into lands where friends and foes experience his heavy influence. The story is one of desperation and deliverance, defeat and despair, and ultimately of triumph at an awful cost. Spiritual applications abound throughout as learned from within dungeons to palaces, and our notions of justice and mercy are sorely tested as a wronged man loses all and then begins to execute what he considers to be, and may well be, God's judgment. If you dedicate the time and attention that this book deserves, you will not be disappointed. If you want to speed-read and add another title to your library card, save your efforts and do not insult the worthwhile messages that this book can bring to the soul. I say soul, but for those with spiritual understanding, the better term is spirit, for this is above all a spiritual book if you have that kind of understanding. The movie alludes to it; the book embodies it. Having now read the book and carefully endured the more tedious portions to ensure that I missed little, I can only say that we do ourselves much disservice by not committing the time to study works such as this. Love, hate, revenge, mercy, justice, and forgiveness are explored in detail in the lives of Edmond Dantes (the Count) and his friends and foes. This complicated novel is unbelievably rich in its timeless spiritual lessons.

The Vicomte De Bragelonne is another masterpiece by Dumas. Although not as captivating as the first two books in his series (The Three Musketerrs and Twenty Years After), VDB certainly has its moments. VDB is followed by Louise de la Valliere and finally the series ends with the story of the Man in the Iron Mask. This book starts of rather slowly compared to the others and certainly is not as captivating albeit it is a good read. The ending is a little weak too. The middle is simply a page turner. Adventure after adventure. This book sets up the plot for the last two in the series (all three were really one book entitled Ten Years Later). The Musketeers (d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos, and Aramis) could not be more different in this book. They are taking diffent sides of the governmental rift as Louis XIV finally makes his rise to power. I recommend this book. END

This book, like all of Dumas' other works, is excellent and should be read by all. It's not as action packed, I admit, as the other Musketeer books, however, I find it equally captivating. I think the interaction of the four friends(d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis),and how they deal and act with one another at this point in their lives is very interesting. If you get this book, you better make sure you have close on hand the next two(Louise de Valliere and The Man in the Iron Mask)because it ends abbrutly, leading you in to the next book. But it's definately a must have.

First of all, the most common way to get the whole series is with 5 separate and distinct books. They are (in order): The Three Musketeers, Twenty Years After, The Vicomte De Bragelonne, Louise De LA Valliere, and The Man in the Iron Mask.

I don't think I need to tell people about the story, but I will. The action and dialogue in the Dumas' stories rivals anything written since. Especially the dialogue. If Dumas were alive today he'd be writing for TV and movies, his dialogue is as fast and witty as anything around.

There are many different printed versions of these stories around. If you pick and choose at random from different publishers, you may miss parts of the stories, have overlaps, or run into major editing. Just look at the versions of the 'Man in the Iron Mask' and see the different page count. At my local library I found two books that said 'Complete and Unabridged,' only one had 10 less chapters than the other.

So, sticking to one publisher increases your chances of getting the whole story. These Oxford World Classic editions are excellent. They do have all five books. They don't cut anything out. They use one of the standard translations (I'm not sure if there has been a new translation in the last 100 years). And they are newly printed. Some publishers versions look like photocopies of old printings and are pathetic.

This is an exciting book that unfortunately feels formulamatic at times. Maybe that is because it was produced as a serialized novel originally. It can have that "find out what our heros are up to next issue" feel.

Overall it is fast paced, but long. I liked the action sequences and the author's creation of distinct personalities for his heros. While I had to read this over a long period of time, I found I enjoyed it most when I could put in a couple of hours at a time and fully submerge myself in the author's world. I would recommend picking this up for a vacation book or if you know you'll be able to keep at it night after night.

The author uses a convincing historical and period backdrop for his tale. It feels real which aids the story. The romantic nature of his heros leads to a wonderful story of comradship and loyalty, good versus evil, etc. Many things to like, but I did not find it deserves quite as lofty a pedestal as most of these other reviewers do.

For those trying to read The Musketeers Saga:
In the original French, there are only three (3) books - 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3. Ten Years Later. But when translated, most English editions split the behemoth Ten Years Later into a Trilogy (and some four - which make it all the more confusing!).

The reading list should be 1. The Three Musketeers 2. Twenty Years After and 3a. The Vicomte de Bragelonne 3b. Louise de la Valliere and 3c. The Man in the Iron Mask. Five books - that's the total series!

I highly recommend this series from Oxford University Press containing the complete unabridged and annotated versions of all of these books. The notes are located in the back of each book so as not to slow down the flow of the text. Most of the notes give additional info on historic characters and places. And a few point out that Dumas was a better storyteller than historian, as keeping dates seems to be such a nuisance!

There is a reason Alexandre Dumas' classic is still read and reread today. It is just plain fun to read, supposing you are not forced to do so for some sort of literature class. Gallant heroes, fair damsels, magnificent settings, war, love, duels, honorable gentlemen, nefarious villains, kings, queens, princes, French, English and Cardinal Richelieu, this book has everything.

Based mostly around the character of D'Artagnan, a young man trying to enter the Musketeers, the personal bodyguard of the King of France. Befitting a King, his bodyguard contingent is very large, but D'Artagnan befriends three of the company: Athos, Porthos and Aramis, in addition to their captain, whose name I cannot recall as I am writing this review. Befitting the central character, this book is written with the exuberance of youth in such intoxicating measure that the reader cannot help but feel genuine affection for the loyal, heroic, though occasionally hotheaded D'Artagnan and his well-matched friends.

The book slows down near the end for some rather unexciting, though very important, character development which itself leads to a vital development in the story. However, despite the fact the plot does tend to drag a bit in this section, it is, indeed, very important and, more importantly, the slowdown in that portion allows the frightful pace of the next few chapters to feel that much more urgent.

All in all, this book is just a rollicking good time. For people who want to read a well written book with an intense plot, characters for whom one can feel genuine affection and a vivid sense of setting: this is a book that belongs in one's personal library.

La dama aux Camelias is Marguerite Gaultier, one of the most desirable courtesans in Paris with a very expensive taste. This is a sad love story of her affair with Armand Duval, a man that could not satisfy her demands for luxury but who could fulfill her need for being love and love but life is a too complicated of a matter. This novel is based on a true love story from Duma's life and in this edition of the book you could find quite some good links between the story and the events in real life of Alexandre, fils

This is the touching story of the romance between Armand Duval, Dumas' alter ego, and the beautiful courtisan Marguerite Gaultier. Marguerite sacrifices her own happiness for Armand's sake, only to result in a tragic conclusion. Dumas, fils, has written a moving and engrossing book that reveals the effects of love on human nature. I highly recommend "La Dame Aux Camelias."

Probably one of the most romantic love stories ever told, La Dame aux Camélias describes the love between a young man and a "prostitute", as we would call her today. Quite against her will, Marguérite falls in love and even gives up her profession for Armand. Still, in the eyes of society, represented by Armand's father, she remains a prostitute. Old Duval demands that Marguérite leave her one and only love. Only then she reveals to her lover's father that this first love is definitely going to be her last... absolutely heart-breaking, marvellous language, one of the finest works of literature ever written. Highgly recommendable!!!!! The only book that ever made me cry.

The Misanthrope is a play about the principled Alceste, a regular Don Quixote of honesty and speaking one's mind. Despite the advice of his "friend" Philinte (apparently the playwright's voice), he never pulls any punches in revealing the vanity and superficiality of the court and the nobles (the Misanthrope was written during the reign of Louis XIV). While exposing the shallow flatterers for what they are, the play also points out the vain-glorious and quite ridiculous aspects of pursuing an ideal at any cost. As is known, Moliere is considered one of the greatest playwrights and a master of comedy. Partly because of this elevated status, I was a little disappointed by the Misanthrope. It does not reach the comic heights of the Greek comedies or Shakespeare, and as a comment on principled people it is certainly inferior to Ibsen's Brand. It is quite possible that it is more engaging when performed on stage, but as a read it is less than I expected.

Moliere's "The Misanthrope" is the most humorous play written in any language. It centers around the character Alceste, who has a firm beleif in being brutally honest all the time. The habit of others to speak harshly behind other's backs and hypocritically praise them to their faces drives him to the brink of insanity. It irks him so much that his only wish would be to become a hermit in the mountains. If it weren't for his love of the beautiful Celimene. However, to make things more complicated, she happens to be the queen of duplicitous thought. Alceste hates himself for loving a woman who behaves in the manner that irritates him the most, but cannot bring himself to confront what troubles him. That, paired with the remarkably written exchanges between Alceste, his friend Philinte, the pompous Oronte, and the many social courtiers and French aristocracy make this the ideal story to bring you to tears with laughter. I highly recommend this book to all lovers of theater, humor, and excellent writing. It truly deserves all 5 stars.

France in politically powerful and economically wealthy. King Louis XIV saw himself as ruling over an enlightened society. He was passionate about the arts and obsessive about theatre. Moliere wrote comedy. He contrasts what people are to what they think of themselves. Moliere's audience was spoiled, well educated, bourgeois, aristocratic and royal. The audience wanted to be entertained, to laugh and to be cheerful. The Misanthrope was controversial but a box office success. The play takes place in Celimene's house where she entertains a variety of visitors. Her visitors are relatives, friends and suitors who spend their time much as the upper society of the day. They dressed, penned and received letters wrote poems and libelous prose. They visited each other, hoped to be noticed by royalty and the litigious pursed lawsuits to uphold their reputations. Several suitors vie for Celimene's favour. Her malicious wit and her reluctance to pick one partner over the others cause her to end up alone. The play begins with Alceste and Philinte arguing about one of the social conventions of the day. Alceste declares that it is morally wrong to falsely flatter and Philinte says we must be tolerant of peoples behaviour. These two alternatives a-re frequently presented to the audience. There are two ways to approach the world and one is as good as the other. Throughout the play the characters axe thrown up against this dilemma with a variety of responses and outcomes. Each player presents as a contradiction with a hidden core. So that, depending on how one chooses to read the play, the characters can be interpreted in a variety of ways. This is were the fun begins, Alceste has been interpreted by many audiences as a noble, heroic idealist, a champion of honesty. He also can be seen as a rigid extremist, an absolutist whose maniacal criticism is quickly tiresome. He criticizes societies corruptions and acts like a conceited prig. Celimen is a chilly shrew or bewitchingly shrewd. She employs the conventions of the times in that she is a gossip, she has a malicious wit etc. but she is an admirable character. Philinte and Eliante are studiously tolerant of everyone and are consummate bores. Alceste's passionate assertion on the ideal of truth and honesty verses falsity comes across as absurdity. His absolutist stance is difficult to examine. He is a rigid extremist obsessed with his vision of right. He is in love with a person who embodies everything he abhors i.e. a coquette who falsely flatters, who is a witty gossip and although he professes tohe wants to change her and at the end of the play Celimene is abandoned to society and Alceste leaves her stranded even though he first wished she was helpless so that he could rescue her. His passion is out of proportion to events. i.e. Alceste advises Philante that hanging would be an appropriate response to falsely flattering. He is unable to apply anything he says to himself so that he thinks that he is reasonable and he is mostly unreasonable, bad tempered and brusque i.e. instead of an apology regarding his lawsuit he hopes he is guilty so that he can show the stupidity of society. The play is derisive of bourgeois behaviour but with Alceste as the messenger one wonders if Moliere is serious. Philinte and Eliante who are perhaps the Epicureans in the play stand for reasonable tolerance but they seem iust tedious i.e. Eliante's prescription for how love works. Celimene is the character who generates the most empathy. Even so, she ruthlessly rips everyone apart. She is quick and intelligent with the small talk. She is beautiful, rich, independent and her salon is the gathering place of the moment. She is the one who displays the most false behavior but perhaps she is the most honest. Truth and honesty, usually traits to strive for, in Alceste's character, seem somehow less than desirable. His passion and contradictory behaviour smack of insincerity, the very trait he claims to despise. This culture is obsessed with wealth and power and societal recognition. The currency is wit, youth, beauty. Celimene is aware that she has a very short time to establish herself before she will have the status of Arsinone, an older prude who is relegated to the ranks of visitor rather than someone who people want to visit. Even though Celimene plays by the rules she fails. Alceste and Celimene are totally unsuited to each other but perhaps they share obsession: he to distaste, she to taste. Alceste claims the more one loves the less one should forgive. Alceste courts isolation but at the end of the play Philinte and Eliante stick with him. Such a small book with such a rich context.

Albert Cohen's masterpiece is intimidating both for its size and chapter-long sentences. But, please, do not be discouraged. This is one of the most insightful novels I have read. It delves into the bureacratic labyrinth of international institutions, mocks their functionaries, and is a haunting critique of European virtues on the eve of the Second World War. (Particularly funny for those familar with the World Bank, UN, or government anywhere).

But, most importantly, it portrays the relationship between men and women in a profound yet comic way. The book's difficulty is quite worth the struggle, especially when you reach the chapter where Solal seduces his beloved. A chapter that is hard for me to forget, for it shows just how stupid and cruel we are.

This is not for the lazy readers, but if you have any guts, read this one. Its worth the while.

Cohen's stream of consciousness - beautiful- style leaves us no escape from this absolute, uncompromising love. I have read the book many times, and it never fails to overwhelm me...although I should add that I have never been able to read the last 20 pages... Ariane and Solal are the most beautiful lovers since forever, unconcerned by others - it is the history of love from start to, ufortunately, the end..
(By the way, the novel does not take place in France, but Switzerland)

This magnificent opus of Albert Cohen is much more than The story of love. It is the story of the dream of love (not only personal, but also in its abstract form) and its impossible realization. It offers an original view of both male and female human nature in matters of love and life. It also contains some of the funniest chapters describing bourgeois society (Swiss, French, Belgian, German, Jewish - you name it) and its values and prejudices, and diplomatic life. Some may find it exaggerated and longwinded, but others will enjoy every single word, and re-read this book every so often. If you can't read it in the original French, don't miss this opportunity and read the English translation.

Having read two of Dumas' longer novels, I was anxious to read one of his shorter ones.

To keep it shorter, there are fewer characters, and therefore the interaction between them is more frequent and intense. The Black Tulip is also a great glimpse into the world of flowers in Holland. Many have heard of the tulip frenzy. This book gives a glimpse of it and what it drove men to do.

Also, there is the forbidden romance between two that should really have no contact at all between themselves. Dumas weaves their tale, and their emotional stress in a very believable manner.

This is Dumas' most famous novel, and one of his shortest. At 200 or so pages it is a fast read full of intrigue and twists. If you like drama with historical footnotes interwoven, then you will enjoy this book.

EJ

This is my second Dumas novel, the first being "The Count of Monte Cristo". This is another excellent tale. Dumas weaves countless details into his plot. One wonders what significance they have at the time. Near the end of the book, you muse aloud to yourself, "Ah! That's why"! Spellbinding, another must read!

A blend of politics, human psychology, subtle romance, and (both real and fictionalized) history. The beginning of the novel is interesting but a little dense and readers may get discouraged, especially as the sentences are fairly complex. However it gets much easier and flows much quicker when the story picks up with the introduction of Van Baerle and his neighbor. I encourage you to keep reading if you are interested in its following key points:

-- The characters are incredibly believable and have developed personalities that are realistically complex.
-- The depiction of tragedy, justice, despair are noteworthy.
-- The story is rich and flows smoothly.
-- It's an interesting look at the past, especially the politics and the references to the tulip-craze of Europe some hundreds of years ago. Even though it has fictional elements it still feels like you're holding a slice of the past in your hand.
-- I've always hated romances, but the love in this story is carefully drawn with a subtle touch and depicted with realism. Genuinely entertaining.
-- It's depiction of the ways that popular opinion can be swayed and deceived by politics, nationalism, and patriotism is chilling.
-- It simultaneously shows us human nobility and human pettiness.

When I first picked up this book I didn't expect much. When I finished it I realized how much the impression it made lasts with me.