The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

France, Anatole, 1844-1924

Language:

English

Physical Description:

1 online resource : multiple file formats

Place of Publication:

Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg,

Summary:

"The Crime of Sylvestre Bonnard" by Anatole France is a novel written in the late 19th century. The story follows Sylvestre Bonnard, an aging bibliophile, and scholar deeply engrossed in manuscripts and the world of books. As Bonnard navigates his solitary life, he grapples with his desires and interactions with others, particularly concerning a rare manuscript that becomes an obsession for him. The opening of the novel establishes Sylvestre Bonnard's character and setting, depicting him on a cold December night in his study filled with manuscripts and his beloved cat, Hamilcar. After some playful interactions with Hamilcar, a book agent named Monsieur Coccoz visits, trying to sell him various books, but Bonnard's disinterest and humorous banter highlight his literary preferences. As Bonnard reads a catalogue of manuscripts, he learns of a prized manuscript, the "Golden Legend," that ignites his longing and sense of purpose. His reflections lead to a deeper exploration of his ambitions, regrets, and views on life, making it clear that this narrative will intertwine his scholarly pursuits with personal discoveries. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Credits:

Produced by Brett Fishburne and David Widger

Notes:

Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crime_of_Sylvestre_Bonnard

Translation of Le crime de Sylvestre Bonnard.

Reading ease score: 77.4 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.

Release date is 2000-03-01