Against Nature by J K Huysmans
The infamous inspiration for the novel which slowly corrupts Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray is translated by Robert Baldick with an introduction by Patrick McGuinness in Penguin Classics. A wildly original fin-de-si cle novel, Against Nature contains only one character. Des Esseintes is a decadent, ailing aristocrat who retreats to an isolated villa where her indulges his taste for luxury and excess. Veering between nervous excitability and debilitating ennui, he gluts his aesthetic appetites with classical literature and art, exotic jewels (with which he fatally encrusts the shell of his tortoise), rich perfumes and a kaleidoscope of sensual experiences. Against Nature, in the words of the author, exploded 'like a meteorite' and has enjoyed a cult following to this day. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.Joris-Karl Huysmans (1848 – 1907 in Paris) was a French novelist who published his writings under the name Charles-Marie-Georges Huysmans. He made a living as a civil servant in France for 30 years. Huysmans' writing is noted for its unique use of the French language, extensive vocabulary, descriptions, sardonic humor, and wide-ranging erudition. His work reflected his severe pessimism, which led him to Arthur Schopenhauer's philosophy. His works later reflected his studies of Catholicism, religious conversion, and ordination as an oblate.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780140440867 |
| ISBN 10 | 0140440860 |
| Title | Against Nature |
| Author | J K Huysmans |
| Series | Penguin Classics |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Penguin Books Ltd |
| Year published | 1966-10-01 |
| Number of pages | 224 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |