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{{Short description|French writer (1828–1885)}}
⚫ '''Edmond François Valentin About''' (], ] - ], ]), ] ], publicist and ], was born at Dieuze, in ].
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
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⚫ '''Edmond François Valentin About''' (14 February 1828{{snd}}16 January 1885) was a French novelist, publicist and journalist.


==Biography==
⚫ The boy's school career was brilliant. In ] he entered the École Normale, taking the second place in the annual competition for admission, Taine being first. Among his college contemporaries were ], ], ] and the ill-starred ]. Of them all About was, according to Sarcey, the most highly vitalized, exuberant, brilliant and "undisciplined." At the end of his college career he joined the French school in ], but if we may believe his own account, it had never been his intention to follow the professorial career, for which the École Normale was a preparation, and in 1853 he returned to France and frankly gave himself to literature and journalism.
About was born at ], in the ] '']'' in the ] region of France.<ref>]; {{ISBN|0-550-18022-2}}, p. 5</ref>


⚫ In 1848, he entered the ], taking second place in the annual competition for admission in which ] came first. Among his college contemporaries, besides Taine, were ], ] and ]. Of them all, About was considered the most highly vitalized, exuberant, brilliant and "undisciplined".<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911|inline=y|wstitle=About, Edmond François Valentin|volume=1|page=69|first=Frank Thomas|last=Marzials}}</ref> It is said that one of his schoolmasters told him "You will never be more than a little ]"{{sfn|Marzials|1911}}
⚫ A book on Greece, ''La Grece contemporaine'' (1855), which did not spare Greek susceptibilities, had an immediate success. In ''Tolla'' (1855) About was charged with drawing too freely on an earlier Italian novel, ''Vittoria Savelli'' (Paris, 1841). This caused a strong prejudice against him, and he was the object of numerous attacks, to which he was ready enough to retaliate. The ''Lettres d'un bon jeune homme'', written to the ''Figaro'' under the signature of Valentin de Quevilly, provoked more animosities. During the next few years, with indefatigable energy, and generally with full public recognition, he wrote novels, stories, a play--which failed,--a book-pamphlet on the Roman question, many pamphlets on other subjects of the day, newspaper articles innumerable, some art criticisms, rejoinders to the attacks of his enemies, and popular manuals of political economy, ''L'A B C du travailleur'' (1868), ''Le progrès'' (1864).


At the end of his college career, he joined the French school in ], but claimed that he had never intended to follow the professorial career for which the École Normale was a preparation, and in 1853 he returned to France and devoted himself to literature and journalism.<ref name="EB1911"/>
About's attitude towards the empire was that of a candid friend. He believed in its improvability, greeted the liberal ministry of ] at the beginning of 1870 with delight and welcomed the ]. That day of enthusiasm had a terrible morrow. For his own personal part he lost the loved home near Saverne in ], which he had purchased in 1858 out of the fruits of his earlier literary successes.


==Career==
With the fall of the empire he became a ], and, always an inveterate anti-clerical, he threw himself with ardour into the battle against the conservative reaction which made head during the first years of the republic. From 1872 onwards for some five or six years his paper, the ''XIX' Siècle'', of which he was the heart and soul, became a power in the land. But the republicans never quite forgave the tardiness of his conversion, and no place rewarded his later zeal. On ] ] he was elected a member of the ], but died before taking his seat. His journalism--of which specimens in his earlier and later manners will be found in the two series of ''Lettres d'un ban jeune homme a sa cousine Madeleine'' (1861 and 1863), and the posthumous collection, ''Le dix-neuvieme siecle'' (1892)--was of its nature ephemeral. So were the pamphlets, great and small. His political economy
He made his name as an entertaining anti-clerical writer. The satirical '']'' (1856; translated into English by ] as '']'',<ref>Published in comic book form in the '']'' series (issue 127, Fall 1968)</ref> and by Tom Taylor as ''The Brigand and His Banker'', for a dramatized version)<ref>Claire Tomalin, The Invisible Woman, p. 106</ref> is the best-known of his novels.


In Greece, About had noticed that there was a curious understanding between the brigands and police: brigandage was becoming almost a safe and respectable industry. About pushed this idea to invent the story of a brigand chief who converts his business into a registered ].
was that of an orthodox popularizer, and in no sense epoch-making. His dramas are negligible. His more serious novels, ''Madelon'' (1863), ''L'infame'' (1867), the three that form the trilogy of the ''Vieille Roche'' (1866), and Le roman d'un brave homme (1880)-a kind of counterblast to the view of the French workman presented in ]'s ''Assommoir''--contain striking and amusing scenes, no doubt, but scenes which are often suggestive of the stage, while description, dissertation, explanation too frequently take the place of life. His best work after all is to be found in the books that are almost wholly farcical, ''Le nez d'un notaire'' (1862); ''Le roi des montagnes'' (1856); ''L'homme a I'oreille cassee'' (1862); ''Trente et quarante'' (1858); ''Le cos de M. Guerin'' (1862). Here his most genuine wit, his spright-liness, his vivacity, the fancy that was in him, have free play. "You will never be more than a little ]," said one of his masters when he was a lad at school. It was a true prophecy.
], 1858 (])]]
]
⚫ About's commentary on modern Greece, ''La Grèce contemporaine'' (1854), was an immediate success. But his ''Tolla'' (1855), the story of a young Parisian actress, gave rise to charges of drawing too freely on an earlier Italian novel, ''Vittoria Savelli'' (1841). This aroused prejudice against him, and he was the object of numerous attacks. The ''Lettres d'un bon jeune homme'', written to the '']'' under the signature of "Valentin de Quevilly", provoked more animosities. During the next few years, he wrote novels, stories, a play (which failed), a book-pamphlet on the Roman question, many pamphlets on other subjects of the day, innumerable newspaper articles, some art criticisms, rejoinders to the attacks of his enemies, and popular manuals of political economy, ''L'A B C du travailleur'' (1868), ''Le progrès'' (1864). His more serious novels include ''Madelon'' (1863), ''L'Infâme'' (1867), the three that form the trilogy of the ''Vieille Roche'' (1866), and (1880) – a kind of counterblast to the view of the French workman presented in ]'s '']''. He is best remembered as a ], for the books ''Le nez d'un notaire'' (1862); ''Le roi des montagnes'' (1856); ''L'homme à l'oreille cassée'' (1862); ''Trente et quarante'' (1858); ''Le cas de M. Guérin'' (1862; see ]).<ref name="EB1911"/>


He was initiated at the Saint-Jean de Jérusalem ] lodge in ] on 7 March 1862. He wrote several articles against Masonic side degrees, a point of view that was common among French leftwing freemasons.<ref>Daniel Ligou - Dictionnaire de la Franc-maçonnerie - Presses universitaires de France - Paris (1991); {{ISBN|978-2-13-054497-5}}</ref>
''This entry was originally from the ].''

About's attitude towards the empire was friendly but critical. He greeted the liberal ministry of ] at the beginning of 1870 with delight, and welcomed the ]. But as a result of the war he lost his beloved home in ], which he had purchased in 1858 out of the fruits of his earlier literary successes. With the fall of the empire, he became a ], and threw himself into battle against conservative reactionaries. From 1872 to about 1877, his paper, the ''XIX<sup>e</sup> Siècle'' (''19th century''), became a power in the land.<ref name="EB1911"/> His political career, however, failed to advance further.{{sfn|Marzials|1911}}

On 23 January 1884, he was elected a member of the ], but died at age 66 before taking his seat. His grave at the ] in Paris includes a sculpture by ].

==Filmography==
*''L'uomo dall'orecchio mozzato'', directed by ] (Italy, 1916, based on the novel ''L'Homme à l'oreille cassée'')
*''Per un figlio'', directed by ] (Italy, 1920, based on the novel ''Germaine'')
*'']'', directed by ] and ] (Italy, 1923, based on the novel ''Germaine'')
*'']'', directed by ] and ] (Germany, 1927, loosely based on the novel '']'')
*'']'', directed by ] (1934, based on the novel ''L'Homme à l'oreille cassée'')
*''Mi vida en tus manos'', directed by ] (Spain, 1943, based on the short story ''Le Buste'')
*'']'', directed by ] (1945, based on the novel ''Trente et Quarante'')
*''{{Interlanguage link multi|Le Roi des montagnes (film)|fr|3=Le Roi des montagnes (film, 1964)|lt=Le Roi des montagnes}}'', directed by ] (1964, based on the novel '']'')

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
*], ''A Century of French Fiction'', s. v., About

==External links==
* {{wikisource author-inline}}
{{Commons category|Edmond About}}
{{Wikisourcelang|fr|Edmond About|Edmond About}}
*{{Gutenberg author|id=5182}}
* {{Internet Archive author |search=("About, Edmond" OR "Edmond About" OR "Edmond François Valentin About")}}
* {{Librivox author |id=1103}}
* {{Cite Collier's|wstitle=About, Edmond |short=x}}

{{Académie française Seat 11}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:About, Edmond}}
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Latest revision as of 19:40, 6 December 2024

French writer (1828–1885)

About in 1875.
Caricature of About by André Gill, 1867.

Edmond François Valentin About (14 February 1828 – 16 January 1885) was a French novelist, publicist and journalist.

Biography

About was born at Dieuze, in the Moselle département in the Lorraine region of France.

In 1848, he entered the École Normale, taking second place in the annual competition for admission in which Hippolyte Taine came first. Among his college contemporaries, besides Taine, were Francisque Sarcey, Challemel-Lacour and Prevost-Paradol. Of them all, About was considered the most highly vitalized, exuberant, brilliant and "undisciplined". It is said that one of his schoolmasters told him "You will never be more than a little Voltaire"

At the end of his college career, he joined the French school in Athens, but claimed that he had never intended to follow the professorial career for which the École Normale was a preparation, and in 1853 he returned to France and devoted himself to literature and journalism.

Career

He made his name as an entertaining anti-clerical writer. The satirical Le Roi des montagnes (1856; translated into English by Mary Louise Booth as The King of the Mountains, and by Tom Taylor as The Brigand and His Banker, for a dramatized version) is the best-known of his novels.

In Greece, About had noticed that there was a curious understanding between the brigands and police: brigandage was becoming almost a safe and respectable industry. About pushed this idea to invent the story of a brigand chief who converts his business into a registered joint-stock company.

About at the time of his first notoriety, by Félix-Henri Giacomotti, 1858 (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Strasbourg)
The grave of Edmond About in Pere La Chaise Cemetery in Paris

About's commentary on modern Greece, La Grèce contemporaine (1854), was an immediate success. But his Tolla (1855), the story of a young Parisian actress, gave rise to charges of drawing too freely on an earlier Italian novel, Vittoria Savelli (1841). This aroused prejudice against him, and he was the object of numerous attacks. The Lettres d'un bon jeune homme, written to the Figaro under the signature of "Valentin de Quevilly", provoked more animosities. During the next few years, he wrote novels, stories, a play (which failed), a book-pamphlet on the Roman question, many pamphlets on other subjects of the day, innumerable newspaper articles, some art criticisms, rejoinders to the attacks of his enemies, and popular manuals of political economy, L'A B C du travailleur (1868), Le progrès (1864). His more serious novels include Madelon (1863), L'Infâme (1867), the three that form the trilogy of the Vieille Roche (1866), and Le roman d'un brave homme (1880) – a kind of counterblast to the view of the French workman presented in Émile Zola's L'Assommoir. He is best remembered as a farceur, for the books Le nez d'un notaire (1862); Le roi des montagnes (1856); L'homme à l'oreille cassée (1862); Trente et quarante (1858); Le cas de M. Guérin (1862; see Georges Maurice de Guérin).

He was initiated at the Saint-Jean de Jérusalem Grand Orient de France lodge in Nancy on 7 March 1862. He wrote several articles against Masonic side degrees, a point of view that was common among French leftwing freemasons.

About's attitude towards the empire was friendly but critical. He greeted the liberal ministry of Émile Ollivier at the beginning of 1870 with delight, and welcomed the Franco-Prussian War. But as a result of the war he lost his beloved home in Alsace, which he had purchased in 1858 out of the fruits of his earlier literary successes. With the fall of the empire, he became a republican, and threw himself into battle against conservative reactionaries. From 1872 to about 1877, his paper, the XIX Siècle (19th century), became a power in the land. His political career, however, failed to advance further.

On 23 January 1884, he was elected a member of the Académie française, but died at age 66 before taking his seat. His grave at the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris includes a sculpture by Gustave Crauck.

Filmography

Notes

  1. Chambers Biographical Dictionary; ISBN 0-550-18022-2, p. 5
  2. ^  One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Marzials, Frank Thomas (1911). "About, Edmond François Valentin". In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 1 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 69.
  3. ^ Marzials 1911.
  4. Published in comic book form in the Classics Illustrated series (issue 127, Fall 1968)
  5. Claire Tomalin, The Invisible Woman, p. 106
  6. Daniel Ligou - Dictionnaire de la Franc-maçonnerie - Presses universitaires de France - Paris (1991); ISBN 978-2-13-054497-5

References

External links

Académie française seat 11
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