About the author

Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant (UK: , US: ; French: [ɡi d(ə) mopasɑ̃]; 5 August 1850 – 6 July 1893) was a 19th-century French author, remembered as a master of the short story form, and as a representative of the Naturalist school, who depicted human lives and destinies and social forces in disillusioned and often pessimistic terms.

Maupassant was a protégé of Gustave Flaubert and his stories are characterized by economy of style and efficient, effortless dénouements (outcomes). Many are set during the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s, describing the futility of war and the innocent civilians who, caught up in events beyond their control, are permanently changed by their experiences. He wrote some 300 short stories, six novels, three travel books, and one volume of verse. His first published story, "Boule de Suif" ("Ball of Suet", 1880), is often considered his masterpiece.

He was known to consume hallucinogens and may have drawn on the experience with these substances for his stories. His work has been studied by neuroscientists due to his skill for articulating and analyzing his first hand experiences with different types of hallucinatory phenomena.

Read sample
Read

The Spasm

"My heart was throbbing wildly. I was frightened. I opened the door brusquely, and in the darkness I distinguished a white figure, standing erect, something that resembled an apparition." When the narrator in Guy de Maupassant’s short story "The Spasm" meets a father and his ill daughter at a health spa, he is reminded of characters from the universe of Edgar Allan Poe. What they proceed to recount to him is a tale so gruesome and harrowing that even Poe himself would cower in fear. Inspired by a real nineteenth century risk of premature burial, "The Spasm" comes with a shocking twist that holds everyone captive until the very end. Guy de Maupassant (1850-1893) was a famous French writer, best known as one of the finest practitioners of the French short story. Master of style and dramatic narrative, Maupassant’s stories are mainly interested in the relationships between men and women, often found at the crossroads of life. One of his greatest influences was Gustave Flaubert, who introduced him to some of the central names of the time such as Emile Zola, Henry James, and Ivan Turgenev. Some of his best known works include the novels "Bel Ami" and "Une Vie", more than 300 short stories, travel books, and even an attempt at poetry.
2,19  EUR
Buy Epub (e-book)
Incl. streaming access
Edition
Printed pages4 Sider
Publish date30 May 2022
Published bySAGA Egmont
Languageeng
ISBN epub9788726666762