François-René de Chateaubriand (1768–1848)

Atala by Chateaubriand was published in 1801 and René in 1802. Both novellas well received at the time due to the “exotic” locations (the US and native individuals) and the virtues of Christianity. The summary indicates they “helped shape European romantic archetypes which would resonate throughout the 19th century and profoundly mark literature and art.”

The writing (translation by Rayner Heppenstall) was good, but I couldn’t connect to the characters.

The objectifying of Native Americans and liberal use of the word “savages” (hard to buy the “wise” Chactas thinking of himself as “Savage”) is off putting, so it has to be read as a book of its time.… (more)

I was expecting to find this book interesting as a historical source, but was surprised to love it as literature. Even in translation two centuries later, Chateaubriand has a felicity with language that oozes through the page — belying his early disclaimer that he is not one for wit. These memoirs are full of well-turned phrases and surprisingly self-aware observations from Chateaubriand's full life, which included a childhood growing up in a castle with a distant father, an irresolute young adulthood that included a sojourn exploring America (a sort of 18th Century "gap year"), fame as a best-selling author and a denouement as a statesman and diplomat. Even the less exciting bits, such as Chateaubriand's childhood, are highly readable, while his character study of Napoleon is incisive (if not wholly reliable).

My only complaints have to do with the apparent abridgment of this Penguin translation (not advertised at all on the physical copy). There are obvious gaps in the narrative — his pilgrimage to the Holy Land is constantly referenced but never actually described; the treatment of his diplomatic service under the Restoration is frustratingly vague; even his coverage of Napoleon, the meaty center of the book, covers only three major incidents from Bonaparte's reign in depth. I'm sure the original version would seem interminably long today, so some abridgment was surely necessary, but it's best to go in with an understanding of the Penguin edition as a snapshot of a larger work. It's a testament to Chateaubriand's sparkling prose that I wanted more.… (more)

Fascinating stuff; it's easy to see the influence Chateaubriand has had on later French writing; it's also just damn enjoyable to spend time in his company. I read this too quickly, but I'm very excited to re-read with pencil in hand, because the bon mots come thick and fast. His description of listening to shovelsful of dirt being dropped on a coffin might be the most affecting thing I've read this year. It would be wonderful to have the rest of the Memoirs translated in a modern edition, but I suspect that's not really a good business proposition.… (more)