A defining work of twentieth-century modernism, now newly translated--a philosophical novel about the nature of consciousness, all centered around a character who is composed of absolute brain and intellect, a character of pure mind.

In 1892, during an intense thunderstorm, the great Symbolist poet Paul Valéry underwent an existential crisis. For the next twenty years, he wrote no poetry, devoting himself instead to the study of philosophy, mathematics, and language--and to the creation of his literary alter ego, Monsieur Teste, who first appeared in the 1896 novella The Evening with Monsieur Teste, and about whom Valéry continued to write for the rest of his life.

Middle-aged Monsieur Teste lives on modest speculations on the stock market. He resides in a greenish room smelling of mint, takes a daily stroll with his wife, and would be entirely unremarkable, were it not for the fact that he is a being made up of pure consciousness, a Cartesian creature of pure rationality, intellect, and self-control. Teste is old French for head, and detached from senses and emotions, Monsieur Teste feels skepticism for all received wisdom while also refusing to hold any opinions of his own. What would such a man make of his own thought processes? And what would he make of human relationships and the world?

Standing in counterpoint to Robert Musil's The Man Without Qualities, Monsieur Teste is without a doubt one of the most enigmatic and searching manifestations of the modern imagination. A genre-defying exploration of the nature of language and consciousness, Valéry's full body of writings on Monsieur Teste is presented here in a stunning new translation by Charlotte Mandell.

Aramis, one of the Three Musketeers, plots to replace Louis XIV with his long-imprisoned identical twin brother, Philippe. Aramis orchestrates Philippe's escape from the Bastille, and takes him to a chateau where Louis is attending a lavish party. With the help of Porthos, another Musketeer, Aramis abducts Louis and imprisons him in the Bastille in Philippe's place. He then substitutes Philippe for the King. Louis is rescued and regains the throne; he sends Philippe back to the Bastille, where he is to permanently wear an iron mask.

Alexandre Dumas got the idea for The Three Musketeers from Courtilz de Sandras' 1700 novel Mémoires de Monsieur d'Artagnan, which was based on real events surrounding the lives of d'Artagnan, Athos, Porthos and Aramis. Dumas made them human, gave them colour, and made them more real than even the truth itself. Since then the term 'Three Musketeers' has been used to describe a trio of individuals who support each other including Supreme Court Justices, engineers and Japanese wrestlers. The Man in the Iron Mask has been adapted many times in film, television and other media

This case laminate collector's edition includes a Victorian-inspired dust jacket.

Embark on an unforgettable journey through the intricate corridors of memory and the labyrinthine depths of the human soul with Marcel Proust's magnum opus, In Search of Lost Time. Across seven monumental volumes, Proust intricately weaves a narrative tapestry that spans the realms of memory, desire, and the inexorable passage of time.

At the heart of this extraordinary work lies the enigmatic narrator, who embarks on a quest to reconcile the fragments of his past with the realities of his present. Set against the backdrop of belle époque France, Proust's prose transports readers into the hallowed halls of French high society, where glittering soirées and elegant salons serve as the stage for intricate social dramas and clandestine affairs. Yet, beneath the veneer of opulence lies a world fraught with longing and disillusionment, where the pursuit of pleasure often leads to profound existential questioning.

Through the narrator's keen observations and introspective musings, Proust delves deep into the recesses of human experience, illuminating the complexities of memory, perception, and identity. From the evocative scent of a madeleine dipped in tea to the fleeting glimpse of a loved one's face, each moment serves as a portal to the past, unlocking a floodgate of emotions and associations that blur the boundaries between reality and reverie.

As the narrator navigates the intricacies of his own memories, he encounters a cast of unforgettable characters who populate his world with their quirks, eccentricities, and hidden desires. From the enigmatic Swann and the captivating Odette to the charismatic Baron de Charlus, each figure leaves an indelible mark on the narrator's psyche, shaping his understanding of love, friendship, and the elusive nature of human connection.

In Search of Lost Time is a literary odyssey unlike any other, a sprawling epic that invites readers to immerse themselves in the rich tapestry of Proust's imagination. With its lush prose, intricate plotting, and profound insights into the human condition, this timeless masterpiece continues to captivate and enthrall readers across the globe, cementing its status as one of the greatest achievements of modern literature. Rich in detail and teeming with life, Proust's masterpiece stands as a testament to the enduring power of literature to illuminate the mysteries of existence and the eternal quest for meaning in an ever-changing world.

This edition includes the entire work in one volume, complete and unabridged. It is newly typeset for easy reading and printed on acid-free, archival quality paper for durability and long use.

The Lady of the Camellias is a semi-autobiographical novel based on the author's brief love affair with a courtesan, Marie Duplessis. Set in mid-19th-century France, the novel tells the tragic love story between fictional characters Marguerite Gautier, a demimondaine or courtesan suffering from consumption, and Armand Duval, a young bourgeois. Marguerite is nicknamed la dame aux camélias (French for ''the lady of the camellias'') because she wears a red camellia when she is menstruating and unavailable for sex and a white camellia when she is available to her lovers.

The novel was subsequently adapted by Alexandre Dumas fils for the stage and became an instant success. Shortly thereafter, Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi set about putting the story to music in the 1853 opera La Traviata. Of all Dumas fils' theatrical works, The Lady of the Camellias is the most popular around the world. In some parts of the English-speaking world, sixteen versions of the play have been performed at Broadway theatres alone.

This case laminate collector's edition includes a Victorian-inspired dust jacket.

Betrayal, Revenge, and Redemption: An Unforgettable Epic!Imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, Edmond Dantès' life is shattered on the day of his engagement. Unjustly condemned to the grim dungeon of the Château d'If, he endures fourteen years of suffering and despair. Yet, in the depths of this abyss, Edmond discovers a fabulous secret: a hidden treasure on the island of Monte Cristo.

Through a daring twist of fate, he escapes and, with this immense fortune, is reborn as the mysterious and powerful Count of Monte Cristo. His mission? To seek revenge on those who betrayed him. But what will be the cost of this vengeance?

Amid plots and duels, unfulfilled loves, and heroic deeds, Alexandre Dumas takes us on a breathless adventure woven with mystery and intrigue. The Count of Monte Cristo is more than just a novel; it's a quest for justice and redemption, a timeless masterpiece that explores the depths of the human soul.

Discover one of the most thrilling tales in French literature, presented here in its unabridged form, where each page brings you closer to an elusive truth and relentless justice.

Betrayal, Revenge, and Redemption: An Unforgettable Epic!Imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, Edmond Dantès' life is shattered on the day of his engagement. Unjustly condemned to the grim dungeon of the Château d'If, he endures fourteen years of suffering and despair. Yet, in the depths of this abyss, Edmond discovers a fabulous secret: a hidden treasure on the island of Monte Cristo.

Through a daring twist of fate, he escapes and, with this immense fortune, is reborn as the mysterious and powerful Count of Monte Cristo. His mission? To seek revenge on those who betrayed him. But what will be the cost of this vengeance?

Amid plots and duels, unfulfilled loves, and heroic deeds, Alexandre Dumas takes us on a breathless adventure woven with mystery and intrigue. The Count of Monte Cristo is more than just a novel; it's a quest for justice and redemption, a timeless masterpiece that explores the depths of the human soul.

Discover one of the most thrilling tales in French literature, presented here in its unabridged form, where each page brings you closer to an elusive truth and relentless justice.

Ninety-Three (1874) is the final novel of Victor Hugo. As a work of historical fiction, the story is set during the period of conflict between the newly formed French Republic and the Royalists who sought to reverse the gains of the revolution. Praised for its morality and honest depiction of the horrors of war, Ninety-Three influenced such wide-ranging political thinkers as Joseph Stalin and Ayn Rand. The soldiers forced cautiously. Everything was in full bloom; they were surrounded by a quivering wall of branches, whose leaves diffused a delicious freshness. Here and there sunbeams pierced these green shades. Advancing through the countryside, a band of Republican soldiers discovers a family of refugees, a mother and two children who fled for their lives during the insurrection of Royalists in Brittany. Taken in, they are swept up in an attack by the merciless Marquis de Lantenac, a counterrevolutionary leader who has just landed with a unit of Royalist troops. Separated from her children, Michelle is protected by a local beggar who hides her from Lantenac and his men. Meanwhile, Robespierre, Marat, and Danton have sent Commander Gauvain from Paris to stamp out the Royalist threat in Brittany, knowing all too well that Lantenac is his distant relative. As families are torn apart in the name of political struggle, as mercy gives way to death and betrayal, Hugo examines the human cost of war without losing sight of the gravity of the historical moment. This edition of Victor Hugo's Ninety-Three is a classic work of French literature reimagined for modern readers.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

Zola's prophetic celebration of unbridled commerce and consumerism, The Ladies' Paradise (Au bonheur des dames, 1883) recounts the frenzied transformations that made late nineteenth-century Paris the fashion capital of the world. The novel's capitalist hero, Octave Mouret, creates a giant department store that devours the dusty, outmoded boutiques surrounding it. Paralleling the story of commercial triumph is the love story between Mouret and the innocent Denise Baudu, who comes to work in The Ladies' Paradise. She provides the crucial link between Mouret and the three essential social groups in the novel: the female clientele, the shopgirls, and the petit bourgeois shopkeepers of the neighborhood.

But the store itself plays the leading role. Zola celebrates capitalism, commerce, and consumerism with a kind of prophetic optimism, calling this novel a poem of modern activity. The work's interest for readers in feminist, cultural, and social history and theory is made abundantly clear in the introduction by Kristin Ross, and the fiction is reproduced in its colorful, 1886 English translation.

In this influential novella, regarded as one of Balzac's greatest works, a dissolute aristocrat competes with a shadowy rival for the love of an enigmatic golden-eyed woman-a crazed and annihilating conflict that plays out in the most darkly decadent corners of Parisian high society.

Beautiful and amoral, Henri de Marsay believes in neither man nor woman, neither God nor the devil. He believes in Paris, a city of decadence and sin, a city where every passion is resolved into gold or pleasure.

From the first moment Henri de Marsay catches sight of the girl with the golden eyes he is completely and utterly infatuated. Desperate for another glimpse of her dark and enigmatic beauty, every day he returns to where he last saw her. Over time, he learns of her name, Paquita Valdes, and of her address, a forbidding and heavily guarded mansion on the Rue Saint-Lazare.

Vowing to make her his, Henri de Marsay plots his elaborate seduction of the mysterious girl with the golden eyes, but with his triumph comes the bitter revelation that he has a powerful rival for her love--the Marquise de San-Real, his own half-sister.

A cry of vengeance and the call for blood bring Balzac's taut exploration of the dark side of Parisian society to its unexpected if inevitable conclusion.

In Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert masterfully unravels the tale of Emma Bovary, a young, disillusioned woman yearning for passion and excitement beyond her provincial French life. As Emma strives to escape the monotony of her existence through indulgence in romantic fantasies and lavish spending, her relentless pursuit of fulfillment drives her deeper into turmoil.

Set against the backdrop of 19th-century provincial France, this novel explores the stark realities of societal constraints, the pitfalls of escapism, and the devastating consequences of unbridled desires. With keen psychological insight, Flaubert portrays Emma's complex emotions, capturing the conflicts between her dreams and her reality.

Widely regarded as a cornerstone of literary realism, Madame Bovary presents an unflinching look at human frailty and the perils of living beyond one's means, making it a compelling exploration of both personal tragedy and universal truths.

Collector's Edition Laminated Hardback with Jacket

Parisian nights shimmer with decadence, but, beneath the glittering chandeliers, love is a dangerous gamble. Armand Duval, a young aristocrat, is captivated by Marguerite Gautier, the most sought-after courtesan in the city-radiant, untouchable, and doomed by her own fragile existence. Their love ignites in secret, defying the cold judgment of high society, but passion alone cannot silence the whispers of scandal or the weight of sacrifice. As devotion and destiny collide, Armand is forced to face an agonizing truth: some loves are meant to burn brightly, even if the world conspires to snuff them out.

A daring portrayal of love and sacrifice, The Lady of the Camellias challenged 19th-century social norms by giving a courtesan a voice, depth, and dignity. Inspired by a real-life affair, Alexandre Dumas weaves a tale that exposed the hypocrisy of high society, where passion flourished in the shadows but was condemned in the light. The novel's influence rippled beyond literature, inspiring countless adaptations, including Verdi's opera La Traviata, cementing its place in cultural history. More than a romance, it remains a timeless critique of class, morality, and the price of love in a world quick to judge.

Beneath the grandeur of the Paris Opera House lies a world of mystery, romance, and terror in The Phantom of the Opera. Gaston Leroux's riveting novel delves into the dark allure of the masked Phantom, a tormented genius who haunts the opera house, driven by unrequited love and a longing for acceptance.

Set against the opulence of 19th-century Parisian society, the story explores themes of obsession, beauty, and the fine line between genius and madness. Leroux masterfully intertwines Gothic horror with poignant tragedy, crafting a tale that has captivated readers for generations.

This timeless classic offers a profound reflection on the human condition, making it a must-read for lovers of literature and mystery alike.

A Page of Love (1878) is a novel by French author Émile Zola. The eighth of twenty volumes of Zola's monumental Les Rougon-Macquart series is an epic story of family, politics, class, and history that traces the disparate paths of several French citizens raised by the same mother. Spanning the entirety of the French Second Empire, Zola provides a sweeping portrait of change that refuses to shy away from controversy and truth as it gets to the heart of heredity and human nature. Hélène Grandjean, a member of the Mouret family, finds herself desperate and alone when her husband Charles dies from a sudden illness. Left as the sole guardian of her young daughter Jeanne, she does her best to provide while overcoming the boundaries of life in a strange new town. Having moved from Marseilles to the suburbs of Paris only days before Charles' death, Hélène longs for friendship and community. When Jeanne suffers a violent seizure, she receives assistance from her neighbor, Dr. Deberle. Soon, Hélène befriends Deberle and his wife Juliette, who introduce her to their family and small circle of acquaintances. Although she remains wary of romance, Hélène soon finds herself falling in love with a kind and gentle man, a figure capable of caring for her and her young daughter-a man who is already married. A Page of Love is a story of family and fate, a thrilling and detailed novel that continues a series rich enough for its author to explore in twenty total volumes. This edition of Émile Zola's A Page of Love is a classic work of French literature reimagined for modern readers.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

Louise Colet was the mistress of Gustave Flaubert at the time of his writing Madame Bovary. She was so angered by her breakup with Flaubert, she wrote it is alleged This was the Man ( Lui) in an effort to get her own back on him Her This was the Man is a brilliant complex roman à clé that sets the impassioned affair between Alfred de Musset (Albert) and George Sand (Antonia) against her own experience of loving two men of towering but contrasting literary reputations..

The middle-aged and dissolute poet Albert de Lincel pursues Stéphanie, marquise de Rostan who, although attracted, continually rebuffs him. What is the problem? Is it Albert's notorious affair twenty years previously with the celebrated writer Antonia Black?

Set as a story within a story, the desperate Albert recounts the true tale of his stormy relationship with Antonia, hoping to set the record straight. But Stéphanie's reluctance, moved though she is, has another cause. She has given her heart to a man far away, toiling at the great novel which will make his name. For Stéphanie, this ideal trumps all. When Léonce, the absent lover, finally appears, Albert's hopes are crushed. So are Stéphanie's, for the high-minded Léonce turns out to be a vulgar monster.

After eight years away, Jean Valjean and Cosette, living under new identities attract the attention of their former innkeepers who are seeking money and revenge. With the help of an idealistic young man, the pair attempts to escape unscathed.

Despite their rough origins, Jean Valjean and Cosette have managed to create a peaceful life for themselves. Cosette has grown into a beautiful young woman and catches the eye of Marius. The two of them fall in love but their courtship is interrupted by Cosette's sudden departure. After a brief hiatus, Marius discovers Cosette and Valjean have adopted new names and occupations. They are living as wealthy philanthropists and are being targeted by the innkeepers who recently moved to their city. Once again, they plan to extort Valjean and use Cosette as leverage.

In Les Misérables Volume Three: Marius, Valjean and Cosette are haunted by figures from their troubled past. Meanwhile, Marius is an unexpected ally who plays an integral role in their journey. This is one part of a captivating tale that's been adapted multiple times for stage, television and film. The most notable being the 2012 Oscar-winning production from director, Tom Hooper.

With an eye-catching new cover, and professionally typeset manuscript, this edition of Les Misérables Volume Three: Marius is both modern and readable.

Since our inception in 2020, Mint Editions has kept sustainability and innovation at the forefront of our mission. Each and every Mint Edition title gets a fresh, professionally typeset manuscript and a dazzling new cover, all while maintaining the integrity of the original book.

With thousands of titles in our collection, we aim to spotlight diverse public domain works to help them find modern audiences. Mint Editions celebrates a breadth of literary works, curated from both canonical and overlooked classics from writers around the globe.

Paris, 1853. The gloomy, centuries-old city is undergoing the most important and splendid redevelopment in the history of modern urban planning. Day by day it is being transformed from a muddy, foul-smelling city languishing by a polluted river into a magnificent world capital. An explosive, tireless powerhouse is directing the massive task. He is Baron Georges Haussmann, a brilliant municipal administrator appointed in a matter of minutes during his first meeting with Emperor Louis Napoleon III to rid the medieval city of its soot and squalor and beautify its every corner. Build me a city! the Emperor commands Haussmann at Saint-Cloud. It is as Baron Haussmann begins his work and organizes his staff that he writes to Charles Fabron, a grieving young widower and successful architect in Rouen, offering him a position in his newly formed Offices of City Planning.

Written from Bordeaux, in the voice of Charles Fabron and set against the massive Nineteenth- Century rebuilding of Paris, Build Me a City is his story and that of Daniel Lazare, the eleven-year-old orphan who becomes his Runner in 1863, carrying Fabron's messages to and from hundreds of demolition and construction sites and by the time of his disappearance the best of the Haussmann Runners but innocent victim of the secret that will destroy a family and break the heart of Charles Fabron.

En 1856, Charles Baudelaire traduit une sélection de nouvelles écrites par Edgar Allan Poe et les réunit en un ouvrage, sous le titre Histoires Extraordinaires. Cette édition bilingue présente côte à côte les textes originaux d'Edgar Allan Poe avec les traductions de Charles Baudelaire, afin de profiter pleinement des styles de ces deux grands noms de la littérature.

Sommaire:

• Edgar Poe, sa vie et ses oeuvres
• Double assassinat dans la rue Morgue
• La Lettre volée
• Le Scarabée d'or
• Le Canard au ballon
• Aventure sans pareille d'un certain Hans Pfaall
• Manuscrit trouvé dans une bouteille
• Une descente dans le Maelstrom
• La Vérité sur le cas de M. Valdemar
• Révélation magnétique
• Souvenirs de M. Auguste Bedloe
• Morella
• Ligeia
• Metzengerstein

À propos de cette édition,

Pour cette édition bilingue, les textes originaux et leurs traductions ont été alignés, de sorte que les paragraphes correspondants apparaissent côte à côte. Des sauts de lignes peuvent décaler le début d'un paragraphe afin de maintenir au mieux une correspondance de contenus entre les pages en langue originale et en français.

Bonne lecture,

Ninety-three, the last of Victor Hugo's novels, is regarded by many including such diverse critics as Robert Louis Stevenson and André Maurois as his greatest work. 1793, Year Two of the Republic, saw the establishment of the National Convention, the execution of Louis XVI, the Terror, and the monarchist revolt in the Vendée, brutally suppressed by the Republic. Hugo's epic follows three protagonists through this tumultuous year: the noble royalist de Lantenac; Gauvain, who embodies a benevolent and romantic vision of the Republic; and Cimourdain, whose principles are altogether more robespierrean.The conflict of values culminates in a dramatic climax on the scaffold.

Paris, 1853. The gloomy, centuries-old city is undergoing the most important and splendid redevelopment in the history of modern urban planning. Day by day it is being transformed from a muddy, foul-smelling city languishing by a polluted river into a magnificent world capital. An explosive, tireless powerhouse is directing the massive task. He is Baron Georges Haussmann, a brilliant municipal administrator appointed in a matter of minutes during his first meeting with Emperor Louis Napoleon III to rid the medieval city of its soot and squalor and beautify its every corner. Build me a city! the Emperor commands Haussmann at Saint-Cloud. It is as Baron Haussmann begins his work and organizes his staff that he writes to Charles Fabron, a grieving young widower and successful architect in Rouen, offering him a position in his newly formed Offices of City Planning.

Written from Bordeaux, in the voice of Charles Fabron and set against the massive Nineteenth- Century rebuilding of Paris, Build Me a City is his story and that of Daniel Lazare, the eleven-year-old orphan who becomes his Runner in 1863, carrying Fabron's messages to and from hundreds of demolition and construction sites and by the time of his disappearance the best of the Haussmann Runners but innocent victim of the secret that will destroy a family and break the heart of Charles Fabron.

A dugout canoe comes ashore on the island of Saint-Barthélemy in the Antilles; in it are a black man, Arsène, and a sleeping white child, Sarah. Seeking refuge, they are taken in by a good man, but the overseer of his plantation threatens both Arsène and Sarah with the loss of their freedom.

Deborah Jenson and Doris Kadish introduce Sarah, an 1821 novella by Desbordes-Valmore, explaining its autobiographical background, political context (the revolt of blacks against Napoléon's soldiers), and literary genre (sentimentalism). The novella was a precursor to anticolonial and antislavery texts by Claire de Duras, Victor Hugo, George Sand, and Alphonse de Lamartine.