I was hooked early in this amazingly ambitious novel by a lovely metaphor where the narrator Maumort compares the way our early memories follow one another to the fish that came each morning out of the lake on lines that he and his sister had set the evening before. Yet memory is only part of the story, as Maumort, a career army officer, is also in thrall to matters abstract, in love with ideas, theories, analysis--all that intellectualising that we Americans love to have the French do for us. However all that cerebration also serves du Gard in developing his characterisation of the Lt Colonel himself, a man determined to understand himself and his society. That such an ambitious story reads so fluidly and fluently is a testimony to both du Gard's and his two translators' splendid prose. Midway in the novel is is a cinematically rendered and unsparing account of a tragic seduction that utterly establishes du Gard's gifts as a novelist, and which by itself might justify the entire novel, were there not so much more here: the marvellously canny portraits of character after character who Maumort encountered in his life, the unflinching account of human sexuality (especially early male sexual experience), the lavishly detailed picture of French society, and as already mentioned, no shortage of food for thought. All this capped by a poignant and powerful moment of dark paralysis towards the close, as the aged Colonel, having just reclaimed his beloved rural estate from its Nazi occupiers, takes one last look back at a relentlessly examined life.

This book, brilliantly translated, is a treasure of treasures. Robert Musil's "The Man Without Qualities," from an ironic, intellectual and dispassionate viewpoint, called into question a broad range of our unconscious conventional assumptions about society and reality. "Remembrance of Things Past" brought personal experience under the lens of Marcel Proust's delicate and evocative aesthetic microscope--again, from the point of view of a detached observer. Roger Martin du Gard, using Lieutenant-Colonel de Maumort as his vehicle, is the ultimate participant in life and his examinations and judgments of his actions are honest and unsparing. Reading "Lieutenant-Colonel de Maumort", narrated with elegance and sobriety, was for me a cataclysmic, relentless and successful assault on many of the complacent assumptions about my "sense of self". The fortitude required of the reader to remain open to Maumort's(du Gard's) courageous exploration of the totality of his own life is repaid many times over. This is not a novel in any conventional sense. It is an experience.

A great book. This engrossing fictional memoir spans the time from the idyll of rural France in the late nineteenth century to the brilliant salons of fin-de-siecle Paris to the horrors of two world wars, probably the greatest period of change in the history of mankind. The witness to this epoch and to his own internal and external development is the narrator, Lt.-Col. de Maumort. He has the best opportunities and teachers his era can offer, and he strives to evolve and to follow his conscience in a world in which conscience matters little. (The exploration of the step-by-step justification of fascism provided to Maumort by occupying Nazi officers, also men of education and cultivation, is a novel in itself, and unlike any other representation of the subject of how seemingly decent people rationalize evil). The story has a wonderful momentum. Unlike most memoirs, fictional and otherwise, which tend always to be self-serving, this one returns again and again to the truth, baring all of the failures, self-betrayals, and contradictions of a life. No wonder Martin du Gard didn't want this to appear in his lifetime. Though the book on the surface appears to be the recollections of a military man walled up in his library while German soldiers occupy his estate in northern France, in fact it's a universal testament about what it is to be human--the best of contemporary fiction, in which every moment comes alive. The translation is superb--far more accurate, literary, and sensitive than the sometimes muddled one of the new Modern Library edition of "The Charterhouse of Parma." This is a book to treasure and reread. The "Black Box" section at the end is an extraodinary bonus: the author, a man apparently very like Maumort, in dialogue with himself through a series of memorable apercus.

This is the second book by Martin du Gard that I have read. I enjoyed the first one, "The Thibaults", but I was uncertain of its' message. I do not have such doubts about "Jean Barois". There are actually two topics of note in this novel. The primary one is the on-going debate between Christianity and what we have come to call "secular humanism". The novel begins and ends with this theme. In the middle half of the book, however, is another subject; The Dreyfus Affair.

Persons interested in the debate between religion vs. atheism will find this a fascinating book. The author really does justice to both sides of the issue and brings out the best artillery that each side had to offer. The main character is a person who has gone out of his way to denounce all faith as meaningless. He losses his wife and other loved ones in his adamant refusal to just show up for any Christian rites. It's not enough to decline, he must also ridicule.

The middle portion of the novel is a terrific insight to the affair of Captain Dreyfus. In case you aren't aware of this notorious event in French History, it has to do with a French officer (Dreyfus) being found guilty of treason and exiled to Devil's Island. It so happens that Captain Dreyfus is a Jew which many believe to be the reason that he was charged and convicted. Some years after his conviction evidence came to light that exonerated the Captain and created a scandal for the whole French military. (For some who have developed particular opinions of the French in the last 6 months, this might be reason enough to read the book). The events unfold through the eyes of Jean Barois and his compatriots who publish a political magazine. The heated discussions that these gentlemen have effectively draws out the various perspectives of the scandal and its' affect on France.

The novel then finds it way back to the subject of religious faith vs. scientific fact. This happens by the emergence of a new character and her affect on Monsiuer Barois. Again the debate is heavily engaged and the reader will probably again be impressed by how the author is able to argue both positions so well. Ultimately we see the author's preferred response to the issue but proponents of the oposite view will come away feeling that they had a fair hearing.

For those interested in the two subjects I have cited, this book is a masterpiece of literature and should not be missed! For those not interested in the about subjects, this book should still be an enjoyable and enlightening experience. I admit I was a bit confused by the dual subject matter and the almost abrupt change from one to the next. However, I think the author did so to bring out the passion that was within Jean Barois and how it was, for a time at least, able to replace the passions of faith that exist in others. This book was written 90 years ago but its' meaning and relevance is quite contemporary. It may be hard to find but it'll be worth the effort.

The story is centerd in an atheus man,Jean Barois, and the conflict,of not believing in a God and the need to do so.
The majesty in wich du Gard treats a theme of special difficulty: the religious problematic of the modern man,makes this one of the most characteristic and suggestive books in modern french literature.

Not recomended to people who have doubts in they're religious faith. ;)

This is a rare book that combines social awareness, literary ambition, precious moments, friendship & love. I really loved this book in that you have to read between the lines. Relationship between Jaque & Jenny is so subtle & well written. Furthermore characters in this book are so, so alive.

I found this book and its sequel, Summer 1914, a most moving and informative experience. If you haven't read thses books you should.

Took a while to get through this, in French, but well worth the effort. Ms. Blanche offers wonderful comparison and analysis. Would be great if translated as well!! Way to go Martine!

This book made me want to scream, or cry. The characters are beautifully rendered, and some of them are dispicable people. That's what made it so unenjoyable to read for me.

The heroine, Isabel Archer, begins her adventures with much vitality and promise, yearning to see life and the world and not to settle prematurely into marriage and domesticity. Although James shows she's not perfect -- she's naive and somewhat conceited -- it's still pretty easy to fall in love with her. You look forward to seeing what great things her life will bring.

And then it all falls apart. After 200 pages of building her up, James marries her to a scoundrel and spends the next 300 pages suffocating her, one liberty at a time. Others have described this book as "uplifting" and spoken of Isabel's strength and courage; I honestly can't see what they could mean. I found it genuinely painful to see such a beautiful character destroyed. With all credit to James's writing skills, this book made me miserable. I couldn't wish it on anyone.

Henry James is one of my favorite authors and The Portrait of a Lady is one of his greatest works. In it, he creates a unique and unforgettable heroine, Isabel Archer, and then proceeds to let her make all the mistakes the young are capable of making. In fact, Isabel is so sure of herself that, at times, I found it difficult to have much sympathy for her poor choices. But one thing I never felt for Isabel Archer was indifference, all to James' credit.

The Portrait of a Lady is truly 19th Century literature at its finest, but that means it also contains elements that might be distracting for the modern reader. There are lengthy descriptions, the pace is rather slow and James never lets us forget we are reading a book. He makes liberal use of phrases such as "our heroine," and "Dear Reader." While all of this was expected in the 19th Century, some readers today might find it annoying.

Those who don't however, will find themselves entranced by a beautiful story of love and loss, unforgettable characters (there are many more besides Isabel, most notably the enigmatic Madame Merle) and gorgeous description, all rendered in James' flawless prose.

Anyone who loves classics or who wants a truly well-rounded background in literature cannot afford to pass this up.

The best thing about 19th century novels is that they take so long to unwind, you know that you are guaranteed a long and satisfying trip into a story. I initially bought this book after seeing the Jane Campion film, (which I actually wasn't too crazy about)but I always think it's a good idea to read the source material. After a few false starts (warning: one needs to devote all their attention to James in order to enjoy him)I finally got into this book, and couldn't put it down. From the great settings of the novel, to the variety of fascinating characters (the liberated Henrietta Stackpole, the sinister Madame Merle, the beloved Ralph Touchett, Ralph's eccentric mother, the flighty Countess Gemini, the deadly Gilbert Osmond, and of course, Isabel Archer herself... James gives characters great names as well) "Portrait" is a great novel not only of self discovery, but self deception. How many of us in this world have liked to have thought ourselevs as free to make our own chocies, and were excited by a future full of "possibility" only to allow something (or usually someone) to get in our way and make us realize just how quickly we can lose our freedom and be in a cage that we need to get out of. (Pardon my bad grammar.) Those of you looking fora Jane Austen type ending, this may not be the book for you, but I think this book is more of a spiritual cousin to Austen than we may think. It all comes down to making choices, and teh effects of those decisions. Throw off any reservations that you may have because this book was written over a century ago, it's as fresh, funny, tragic and riveting today as it was then. (And hey, buy the film soundtrack which perfectly captures the mood of the story for accompaniment..that was a plug!)

Michael Crichton said of Henry James: "I hate Henry James. His stuff reads like a first draft." For a pop writer, was Crichton ever right!!! Henry James is incapable of getting to the point. Reading Henry James is like swimming through a pool filled with peanut butter, when all you want is to swim through crystal water.

Taking Michael Crichton's word on Henry James is sort of like listening to Gary Coleman criticizing Olivier, or Milli (or Vanilli) carping about Mozart.

First of all, in the above non-review, the reader assumes we "want to be swimming through crystal water," whatever that means. Well, I've swum through enough crystal water, and come away after the read with nothing. James's industrial strength extra chunky peanut butter sticks with me long after I've put it down. "The Beast in the Jungle" OR "The Jolly Corner," two novellas, eclipse and obliterate the entire body of Crichton's work. Simple as that.

"The Velvet Glove" is a great find - the limousine ride stuck in my mind. "The Birthplace" is a riot, too. Try them-