Langers Contes Et Nouvelles De France (Storybook of French) by Par Jatinder Singh

The book is destined to university students who wish to make an analytic study of French short stories and shorter narrative forms. It encompasses a collection of short stories and shorter narrative forms of two major French writers of 19^th century: Guy de Maupassant and Alphonse Daudet. The reading of these texts allows a better understanding of the main themes in the works of these writers: realism, status of women, pessimism, a radical change in social customs, description of picturesque landscapes etc. These two writers showcase both happy and sad aspects of a human’s life. A selection of the lesser-known shorter narrative forms has been made consciously in order to bring such texts into light. These texts are not only a source to learn and enhance French vocabulary but to also study the French culture and social life.

After a detailed biography of the two writers, the book presents seven short stories and shorter narrative forms of Maupassant and three short stories and shorter narrative forms of Daudet. Multiple types of text-based exercises and activities are included at the end of each short story.