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Nana

By Émile Zola
Penguin Classics
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Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Nana by Émile Zola is a compelling story set in the bustling theatrical world of 19th-century Paris. It follows the rise of a beautiful yet flawed courtesan named Nana, whose allure and manipulative prowess impact the lives of the men around her. Through Nana's story, Zola explores themes of desire, decadence, and the decay of society, offering a vivid portrayal of the era's moral complexities.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're fascinated by compelling character studies, as it offers a vivid exploration of a woman's rise from humble beginnings to the heights of Parisian society. The story provides a critical look at the decadent lifestyles and moral decadence of 19th-century Paris, delivering both a gripping narrative and a reflection on the complexities of human nature.

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Born to drunken parents in the slums of Paris, Nana lives in squalor until she is discovered at the Theatre des Varietes. She soon rises from the streets to set the city alight as the most famous high-class prostitute of her day. Nana's hedonistic appetite for luxury and decadent pleasures knows no bounds - until, eventually, it consumes her.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

One of the greatest of the Rougon-Macquart series, Zola's prostitute represents the destructiveness of a corrupt and decaying society.

Born to drunken parents in the slums of Paris, Nana lives in squalor until she is discovered at the Théâtre des Variétés. She soon rises from the streets to set the city alight as the most famous high-class prostitute of her day. Rich men, Comtes, and Marquises fall at her feet, great ladies try to emulate her appearance, and lovers even kill themselves for her.

Nana's hedonistic appetite for luxury and decadent pleasures knows no bounds—until, eventually, it consumes her. Nana provoked outrage upon its publication in 1880, with its heroine damned as 'the most crude and bestial sort of whore', yet the language of the novel makes Nana almost a mythical figure—a destructive force preying on a corrupt society.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780140442632

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 26 July 1973

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Translated by George Holden
  • Introduction by George Holden

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 130.0mm

Height: 198.0mm

Weight: 332g

Pages: 480

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Best Sellers at Book Hero Classic Fiction Classic General Fiction Fiction General Fiction In Stock Books In-Stock Fiction Books Literary Fiction New Release Fiction Penguin Black Classics Penguin Books Penguin Classics Penguin Classics: General Fiction Émile Zola

About the Author

Emile Zola (1840-1902) was the leading figure in the French school of naturalistic fiction. His principal work, Les Rougon-Macquart, is a panorama of mid-19th century French life, in a cycle of 20 novels which Zola wrote over a period of 22 years. George Holden is a known translator.

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