Balzac, Maupassant & Flaubert: 3 Best French Short Stories

Written by Guy de Maupassant, Honoré de Balzac and Gustave Flaubert

Narrated by Paul Edwards and Katie Haigh

Enjoy the short stories of three of the greatest writers of French literature, for the first time together in audiobook and narrated in a lively way. Guy de Maupassant was an absolute master of the short story genre, delighting in clever plotting, concise style, and efficient storytelling, which he used to produce stunning pieces in a very condensed format. He produced more than 300 short stories; we selected for you 9 of the most bizarre, influent, humorous or plain shocking. They are in order: The Englishman of Etretat, The Mustache, A Mother of Monsters, A Portrait, A Widow, Madame Baptiste, The Drunkard, Magnetism, An Uncomfortable Bed. By Honoré de Balzac, The Unknown Masterpiece is a short text that was received as a revolution in the world of art, for its work about artistic creation: what does completion or failure mean, and how is it that technique does not guarantee either. Flaubert was known for his scrupulous devotion to his style, sometimes working for a whole week to achieve a single page. A Simple Soul is a short text containing a lifetime of human emotions. It has been said that no other author has imparted so much beauty and integrity to so modest an existence. This short story is utterly poignant and will change your view of selflessness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: SAGA Egmont
• Release date: Jun 9, 2022
• ISBN: 9782821103221

Guy de Maupassant

Guy de Maupassant was a French writer and poet considered to be one of the pioneers of the modern short story whose best-known works include "Boule de Suif," "Mother Sauvage," and "The Necklace." De Maupassant was heavily influenced by his mother, a divorcée who raised her sons on her own, and whose own love of the written word inspired his passion for writing. While studying poetry in Rouen, de Maupassant made the acquaintance of Gustave Flaubert, who became a supporter and life-long influence for the author. De Maupassant died in 1893 after being committed to an asylum in Paris.