Bouvard and Pecuchet

Bouvard and Pecuchet is a tragi-comic novel written by the French author Gustave Flaubert. The book tells the story of two middle-aged clerks, Bouvard and Pecuchet, who meet by chance and become fast friends. Together, they embark on a series of misadventures and experiments in various fields of knowledge, including agriculture, literature, and philosophy. As they pursue their intellectual pursuits, Bouvard and Pecuchet encounter a range of characters, from wealthy landowners to impoverished peasants, and their interactions with these people often lead to unexpected consequences. The novel is a satire of bourgeois life in nineteenth-century France, and Flaubert uses his two hapless protagonists to poke fun at the pretensions and foibles of the middle class.Despite its comedic elements, Bouvard and Pecuchet also has a tragic dimension. As the two friends pursue their intellectual dreams, they become increasingly isolated from the world around them, and their quest for knowledge ultimately leads to their downfall. The novel is a profound meditation on the limits of human understanding and the dangers of intellectual pride.Flaubert wrote Bouvard and Pecuchet towards the end of his life, and it is considered one of his most experimental works. The book is notable for its unconventional structure, which includes long digressions and parodies of other literary genres. It is also a testament to Flaubert's mastery of prose, with its vivid descriptions and incisive characterizations. Overall, Bouvard and Pecuchet is a complex and thought-provoking novel that combines humor, satire, and tragedy in a unique and unforgettable way. It is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of French literature or the human condition itself.Ten Volume Set.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.