Alain-Fournier Book order (chronological)

"Il piccolo immenso gioiello lasciato da Alain-Fournier ha cristallizzato per generazioni di lettori la poesia misteriosa della giovinezza. E un romanzo che ben presto sgattaiola via dalle reti delle letture critiche, si sottrae alle analisi e diventa qualcosa di più, qualcosa d'altro, come lo sono diventati Siddharta o Il giovane Holden o Sulla strada. E uno di quei casi in cui l'esperienza stessa della lettura prolunga, amplifica, sdoppia la suggestione dell'opera: ricordiamo i pomeriggi in cui sottolineavamo paragrafi di Hesse fumando sul letto, ricordiamo il corridoio del liceo dove seduti per terra leggevamo Holden ed eravamo Holden, ricordiamo il sacco a pelo dentro al quale, sul ponte della nave, leggevamo una copia di Sulla strada incartapecorita dalla salsedine, ricordiamo l'estate gialla e immobile di calore in cui leggevamo Meaulnes e sentivamo palpitare in noi la sua irrequietezza. Questa capacità di riecheggiare forte, di trovare la muta sintonia con una sensibilità acuminata, è la vera profonda grandezza del romanzo, che non sta nell'intreccio (...), ma in una sorta di finissima eppure possente costruzione mitica di cui vogliamo cogliere tre motivi chiave: l'infanzia, l'avventura, il meraviglioso." (Dalla Postfazione di Yasmina Melaouah)

When Meaulnes first arrives at the local school in Sologne, everyone is captivated by his good looks, daring and charisma. But when Meaulnes disappears for several days, and returns with tales of a strange party at a mysterious house - and his love for the beautiful girl hidden within it, Yvonne de Galais - his life has been changed forever.

La venue d’Augustin Meaulnes, le nouveau pensionnaire du cours supérieur de Sainte-Agathe, va bouleverser la vie du coll

Réunit la correspondance de deux amis : Alain-Fournier et Jacques Rivière. Leurs échanges fournissent un tableau vivant du monde qui les entoure des richesses foisonnantes de leur époque.

Alain Fournier, geboren in 1886 en gesneuveld in 1914, heeft niet veel meer geschreven dan de roman Le grand Meaulnes. Maar dit ene werk is dan ook zo subliem dat het Fournier over de hele wereld beroemd heeft gemaakt. "Het grote avontuur" (zoals het boek in de vertaling van Max Nord heet) verhaalt de geschiedenis van de zeventienjarige scholier Augustin Meaulnes, die op een vreemd feest in een geheimzinnig kasteel het meisje van zijn dromen ontmoet. Hij loopt weg van school (bewonderde en benijde held; de grote Meaulnes) om het landgoed en het meisje terug te vinden. De ernst waarmee Meaulnes, aan de grens van volwassenheid, probeert een droom, een puberteitsdroom, in werkelijkheid om te zetten maakt de roman veel boeiender en aangrijpender dan de wonderlijke gebeurtenissen die de jongen beleeft. Fournier heeft op magistrale wijze deze droom van een jeugd verweven met de sobere alledaagsheid van de buitenwereld. Een onvergetelijk boek.

“Le Grand Meaulnes” is the sole novel by Alain-Fournier, published in 1913 when he was just twenty-seven, shortly before his death in World War I. The story follows young Augustin Meaulnes as he arrives at a village school in Sainte-Agathe, boarding with the headmaster’s family. The narrative is presented through the eyes of François Seurel, the headmaster’s son, capturing the transition from childhood to adulthood. François reflects on his nostalgia, regrets, and memories of Augustin and the enchanting Yvonne de Galais. In this unique translation by Jennifer Hashmi, the poetic style of the original is preserved, along with Alain-Fournier’s use of ellipses that suggest more than is explicitly stated, enhancing the novel’s mysterious quality. This translation is particularly beneficial for students, as it conveys not just the text's meaning but also its emotional atmosphere. For nearly a century, this captivating novel has drawn readers into the everyday world seen through the perspectives of François, the dreamer, and Meaulnes, the adventurer, both in search of the ultimate happiness they believe awaits those who dare to seek it.