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This is Andreas Gide's 1931 novella, "Two Symphonies". It's the story of a blind girl who is adopted by a pastor with a large family, and describes the unfortunate turmoil and friction that ensue. This marvellous tale is highly recommended for fans of Gide's work, and would make for a fantastic addition to any collection. Andr Paul Guillaume Gide (1869-1951) was a French author who won the 1947 Nobel Prize in Literature. His work often takes on the form of an exploration of freedom, and is inseparable from his endeavours to attain intellectual sincerity. Many classic books such as this are becoming increasingly rare and expensive. It is with this in mind that we are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern, high-quality edition complete with a specially commissioned new biography of the author.… (more)
User reviews
So I was rather surprised that "Isabelle" turned out to be so enjoyable. A story that artfully paints the decline of an aristocratic class and the passing of a way of life, it makes an interesting companion to novels like Vita Sackville-West's "The Edwardians." "Isabelle" is rather more comic and, in a way, less biting than that work. There's a tragedy at the book's center, but Gide often plays up the ridiculous, theatrical aspects of the inhabitants of the decaying French manor house where the action is set. It's also nice to see that this book's disabled character, a lame young boy called Casimir, is treated with much more depth here: his physical infirmity seems merely to complement his lonely and isolated existence and generally timid character. The book features a well-executed plot twist at the end and a touch of real sadness as the narrator witnesses the bankrupt estate's great old trees being taken down in order to pay its creditors. Read this "symphony," but skip the first.