Émile Zola
Paperback | Pages: 438 pages Rating: 4 | 11110 Users | 778 Reviews
Declare Appertaining To Books The Ladies' Paradise (Les Rougon-Macquart #11)
| Title | : | The Ladies' Paradise (Les Rougon-Macquart #11) |
| Author | : | Émile Zola |
| Book Format | : | Paperback |
| Book Edition | : | Oxford World’s Classics |
| Pages | : | Pages: 438 pages |
| Published | : | September 1st 2008 by Oxford University Press (first published 1883) |
| Categories | : | Classics. Fiction. Cultural. France. European Literature. French Literature. Historical. Historical Fiction |
Ilustration In Favor Of Books The Ladies' Paradise (Les Rougon-Macquart #11)
The Ladies Paradise (Au Bonheur des Dames) recounts the rise of the modern department store in late nineteenth-century Paris. The store is a symbol of capitalism, of the modern city, and of the bourgeois family: it is emblematic of changes in consumer culture, and the changes in sexual attitudes and class relations taking place at the end of the century. This new translation of the eleventh novel in Zola's Rougon-Macquart cycle captures the spirit of one of his greatest works.Details Books To The Ladies' Paradise (Les Rougon-Macquart #11)
| Original Title: | Au Bonheur des Dames |
| ISBN: | 0192836021 (ISBN13: 9780192836021) |
| Edition Language: | English |
| Series: | Les Rougon-Macquart #11, Les Rougon-Macquart #8 |
| Characters: | Octave Mouret, Denise Baudu |
| Setting: | Paris(France) |
Rating Appertaining To Books The Ladies' Paradise (Les Rougon-Macquart #11)
Ratings: 4 From 11110 Users | 778 ReviewsCriticism Appertaining To Books The Ladies' Paradise (Les Rougon-Macquart #11)
This one deals with the monstrous effects of capitalism in France's Second Empire. Zola modeled The Ladies' Paradise after Bon Marché, a Paris shop which revolutionized consumer culture by acting as a sort of indoor bazaar, where one could find housewares, furniture, cloth, readymade clothing etc. in one place rather than traveling all around Paris to different little independent shops--like a mall, but all owned by the same company. Okay, fine, like a Walmart (with real silk). Workers assignedBettie's Books
3.5 starsI imagine a bewildered Émile Zola wandering into the crowds populating that new phenomenon that took Paris merchandising in the 19th century by storm - mass production and the creation of the one-stop mega-shop. He enters through the widely opened arms of polished French doors, having to blink tearily at the brilliantly lit chandeliers. Immediately, he is choked by perfumed mists diffusing the air and is submerged in whispers of fine French lace and ribbons, rows of rainbowed textures
I think I probably like this novel best of all the Zola novels we have read.(view spoiler)[ I enjoyed the various strands in the book.The small business men and their families and shops. It seemed really sad that they weren't able to see any successful way to stand up to Mouret and his expanding business. I know some of them made attempts eg price cutting but none of them was successful. I thought the umbrella maker might stand a chance with the extremely detailed handles he was carving.
IntroductionTranslator's NoteSelect BibliographyA Chronology of Émile ZolaMap--The Ladies' ParadiseExplanatory Notes
To say Emile Zola had a way with words would be an insulting understatement. This is a great story, a study of the effects of capitalism as well as a study of human behavior. My only complaint would be that Zola was oftentimes a bit too wordy. Setting that aside, I was fascinated by the portrayal of the rise of the first department store in France and the effect it had on its section of Paris. Zola managed to present it in such a way wherein both parties (the big store "counter jumpers" and the
I've never been a big fan of just shopping for shopping's sake. When I need to buy something, I like to get in, get it, and leave the store. I think if I liked shopping more I'd have given this book a higher rating.The main character in this book is the department store itself. It was interesting to see the development of the modern megastore way back in 19th. century Paris. The financing, marketing, and logistics of running such a huge enterprise was fascinating to read about. However, there
0 Comments