literature

Conquest of PrussiaEmile Zola, the blog author's favorite author.

Zola's "The Conquest of Prassan" Synopsis and Impressions - A pioneering work about brainwashing and destruction by religion.

This story was the hardest one for me to read in the "Lugon Makkar Series".

It was painful to read about brainwashing by religious people so blatantly written.

However, I believe that this work depicts a truth that we should not turn away from, even if it is painful. How was religion viewed in Europe at this time? I believe that this is one of the major clues to this question.

It was just a terrific piece of work.
The Stomach of ParisEmile Zola, the blog author's favorite author.

Zola's "The Stomach of Paris" Synopsis and Impressions - It's like a Buddhist book! The insatiable desire of Paris to devour everything! Is appetite a sin or...

If I were asked which work in the "Lugon McCall Series" is my favorite, I would probably mention "The Stomach of Paris". It is such a brilliant depiction of human desire.

Zola's signature cinematic techniques, descriptions that stimulate the senses such as smells, and his ability to metaphorically express desires by depicting objects and animals are just a few of the many wonderful aspects of his work.

It is a wonder that this book has not been published in paperback. I really hope this book will be more widely distributed in the world.
one's share of the spoilsEmile Zola, the blog author's favorite author.

Zola's "Prey's Share" Synopsis and Impressions - 1850s Paris in a land speculation frenzy. A human drama in search of money and power!

In "A Share of the Prey," Aristide, the third son of the Lugon family, hungry for "money and power," sniffs out a prize of a Paris remodeling project and struggles in Paris to get a share of it.

Money, speculative fever, extravagance, lust...

Zola depicts human desire in this way as well.

It is a terrific work that lets us know the greed of man for money and the desires of men and women. I highly recommend it!
zoraEmile Zola, the blog author's favorite author.

Zola's "The Birth of the House of Lugon" Synopsis and Impressions - Shockingly interesting! A masterpiece that brings to life the beginning of Napoleon's Second Empire! It all started here!

The Birth of the House of Lugon was published in 1871 as the first volume of Emile Zola's monumental Lugon-Macquart series, which took 24 years to complete.

This book is a masterpiece among Zola's works that I especially recommend!

I can't tell you how many times I groaned in my heart when I read it and said, "Ahhh, that's just what Dr. Zola did!" I can't tell you how many times I groaned in my heart! The choice of words, the rhythm of the sentences, and the exquisitely positioned expressions that appeal to the five senses are all in full bloom in this work. To be honest, I prefer this work to "Izakaya" and "Nana". It was very interesting.
zoraEmile Zola, the blog author's favorite author.

Zola is the best place to learn about French society and culture in the second half of the 19th century! What is Emile Zola's "Lugon-Macquart Series"?

In my previous article, "On Emile Zola's Far More Interesting Than I Had Imagined: The Impact of 'The Tavern'," I mentioned that Emile Zola's "Lugon McCall Series" is a great way to learn about the French Second Empire and a great way to learn about Dostoevsky. I also mentioned that the "Lugon-Macquart series" by Emile Zola is a great way to learn about the French Second Empire, and that it may be very significant for learning about Dostoevsky.

In this article, I will give a brief overview of what the "Lugon McCall Series" is all about.
zoraEmile Zola, the blog author's favorite author.

The Impact of "Izakaya! About the French writer Emile Zola, who was too funny.

I felt that to know Zola was to learn about French society, and consequently to learn about Dostoevsky's view of Europe, so I decided to read Zola's masterpiece "The Tavern" first.

Then I started reading this novel and I was tremendously shocked.

Zola is a fearsome writer.

This guy is definitely worth reading...

I found myself intensely attracted to the writer Emile Zola.
Zola and DostoevskyEmile Zola, the blog author's favorite author.

French writer Emile Zola and Dostoevsky If you know Zola, you know Dostoevsky!

The French Second Empire is a very important period directly related to our lives.

Dostoevsky had many things to say about France.

This being the case, I thought it was very important to know the social situation, thought, and culture of France during this period in order to learn more about Dostoevsky.

What can I read to learn more about France during the Second Empire...

It was with this in mind that I came across the great French writer Emile Zola.
Shigeru KashimaFrench Literature, History and Culture

Shigeru Kashima, "The Couple Who Invented the Department Store" - The department store began here! France's Second Empire and the "Bon Marché

Department stores are deeply rooted in our lives. We live with department stores as a matter of course, but do you know when and where department stores were born?

In fact, it was this Paris of the French Second Empire.

The birth of the department store revolutionized the world's commercial style.
This book is a condensed version of the world we usually shop in without thinking about it. This is an amazing book. I wish this book could be used as a textbook for social studies. I highly recommend it.
Shigeru KashimaFrench Literature, History and Culture

Shigeru Kashima, "A Wonderful View, Paris World's Fair: Saint-Simon's Iron Dream," Paris World's Fair, which Eiichi Shibusawa also visited - Paris World's Fair as a device to arouse desire.

The Paris Exposition was not only a project to promote the industrialization of France, as in London, but also to promote the pursuit of desire on a national level.

I think this is a very important perspective on the era of the French Second Empire.

It was against this historical background that Dostoevsky entered Paris.

Knowing this background, Dostoevsky's works may show a different flavor.
The Tale of the Crystal PalaceFrench Literature, History and Culture

Masaie Matsumura, "The Tale of the Crystal Palace, World's Fair London 1851" - The connection between the world's first world's fair and Dostoevsky.

The London World's Fair was the first world's fair, and its history began in 1851.

At the time, Dostoevsky was living in exile in Omsk prison in Siberia.

Dostoevsky made his first trip to Europe in 1862. It is said that he visited London at that time and saw the Crystal Palace, which remained after the first World's Fair in London.

In this article, I will refer to "The Tale of the Crystal Palace, World's Fair London 1851" by Masaie Matsumura.