A Lion for Love: A Critical Biography of Stendhal

by Robert Alter, Carol Cosman (With)

Overview

Traces the life of the nineteenth century French novelist, attempts to portray his complex personality, and analyzes his major works.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674535756
Publisher:	Harvard University Press
Publication date:	10/08/1986
Edition description:	REPRINT
Pages:	320
Sales rank:	241,734
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Robert Alter is Professor of Hebrew and Comparative Literature at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the author of numerous critical works, including the prize-winning The Art of Biblical Narrative.

Table of Contents

• Preface
• Roman Prelude

Part One: the Young Man from the Provinces
1. Grenoble (Aetat. 1-16)
2. Paris (Aetat. 16-17)
3. Italy (Aetat. 17-18)
4. Return To Paris (Aetat. 19-22)

Part Two: The Initiate
5. Marseilles (Aetat. 22-23)
6. Prussia and Paris (Aetat. 23-28)
7. Milan (Aetat. 28-29)
8. Moscow to Milan (Aetat. 29-31)

Part Three: The Free Lance
9. Milan (Aetat. 31-38)
10. Paris (Aetat. 38-44)
11. The End of the Paris Years (Aetat. 44-47)

Part Four: The Consul
12. Civiatavecchia (Aetat. 48-53)
13. Paris (Aetat. 53-55)
14. Civiatavecchia and Paris (Aetat. 56-59)

• Index
• Illustrations

Editorial Reviews

This excellent short biography…brings out both the charms and the complexities of Stendhal. The tone of the book is discreetly admiring, but ironic enough when need be to remind one of the saving and consummate irony of its subject.

John Sturrock

A Lion for Love is a splendid example of a rare and difficult critical genre: a biography which chronicles and interprets development of a character of complex imaginative genius, and at the same time introduces a lucid critical reading of his works.

Julia Epstein Book World

A Lion for Love is a model of critical biography—a fascinating biography of a fascinating man.

Washington Star - Larry McMurtry

[An] excellent and balanced biography.

Times Literary Supplement - Anita Brookner

The publication of A Lion for Love, by Robert Alter with the collaboration of his wife, Carol Cosman, supplies at last a fine, perceptive, concise critical biography of Stendhal, written with a clarity and good sense worthy of its subject… Alter and Cosman…wear their erudition with becoming lightness.

New Leader - John Simon

A Lion for Love is a splendid example of a rare and difficult critical genre: a biography which chronicles and interprets development of a character of complex imaginative genius, and at the same time introduces a lucid critical reading of his works.

Washington Post Book World - Julia Epstein

This excellent short biography...brings out both the charms and the complexities of Stendhal. The tone of the book is discreetly admiring, but ironic enough when need be to remind one of the saving and consummate irony of its subject.

New York Times Book Review - John Sturrock

A A Lion for Love is a model of critical biography—a fascinating biography of a fascinating man.

Washington Star - Larry McMurty

[An] excellent and balanced biography.
— Anita Brookner

Times Literary Supplement

A Lion for Love is a splendid example of a rare and difficult critical genre: a biography which chronicles and interprets development of a character of complex imaginative genius, and at the same time introduces a lucid critical reading of his works.
— Julia Epstein

Washington Post Book World

This excellent short biography...brings out both the charms and the complexities of Stendhal. The tone of the book is discreetly admiring, but ironic enough when need be to remind one of the saving and consummate irony of its subject.
— John Sturrock

New York Times Book Review

The publication of A Lion for Love, by Robert Alter with the collaboration of his wife, Carol Cosman, supplies at last a fine,
perceptive, concise critical biography of Stendhal, written with a clarity and good sense worthy of its subject...Alter and Cosman...wear their erudition with becoming lightness.
— John Simon

New Leader

A A Lion for Love is a model of critical biography—a fascinating biography of a fascinating man.
— Larry McMurty

Washington Star