The Wanderer:
About this book
Named one of Le Monde's 100 Books of the CenturyIn the verdant heartland of France, within the echoes of youth and the shadow of lost dreams, unfolds the timeless tale of The Wanderer, or "Le Grand Meaulnes." Alain-Fournier's sole novel - which inspired the title of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby - is a poignant exploration of restless desire and the elusive quest for something forever out of reach, captures the essence of the transition from childhood to adulthood.When seventeen-year-old Augustin Meaulnes, the enigmatic and spirited newcomer, arrives at a small village school, he sets forth a chain of events that will forever alter the lives of those around him. His accidental discovery of a mysterious estate, hosting a surreal party that seems suspended in time, leads him to Yvonne de Galais – the embodiment of his most unattainable dreams. But the world is not kind to dreams long-held, and the quest to return to that lost domain, to recapture the ethereal moment of love and enchantment, becomes Meaulnes's obsession.Narrated by François Seurel, the son of the school's director and Meaulnes's steadfast friend, this tale weaves the fragile threads of friendship, love, and longing into a tapestry of haunting beauty. From the rural landscapes of Sologne to the bustling streets of Paris, Meaulnes's journey is fraught with the pain of unrequited love and the relentless pursuit of a happiness just beyond reach."Le Grand Meaulnes" is a lyrical testament to the grandeur and tragedy of youth, a delicate portrayal of hearts adrift in the vast wilderness of human emotion. It is a story that transcends time, a reflection on the moments that define us, the people we yearn for, and the places we can never return to. This novel, as heartbreaking as it is beautiful, invites readers into a vanished world where every page aches with the sweet, sad melody of the past.Alain-Fournier was sadly killed during the first month of WWI, cutting his writing career tragically short.