My rating:

add to my books

read book

Bel-Ami

by Guy de Maupassant, Robert Lethbridge (Editor), Margaret Mauldon (Translator)

3.76 · rating details · 2,860 ratings · 254 reviews

Maupassant's second novel, Bel-Ami (1885), is the story of a ruthlessly ambitious young man (Georges Duroy, christened 'Bel-Ami' by his female admirers) making it to the top in fin-de-siecle Paris. It is a novel about money, sex, and power, set against the background of the politics of the French colonization of North Africa. It explores the dynamics of an urban society un...more

Paperback, Oxford World's Classics, 303 pages

Published September 11th 2008 by Oxford University Press (first published 1885)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists. Add this book to your favorite list »

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 5,236)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Aug 31, 2011

Kim rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook, french-language

For a novel published in 1885 and set in the Paris of that period, this novel has a remarkably modern feel. It's about sleazy journalism, corrupt politicians, sex, money and power. And through it all is the Bel-Ami of the title - Georges Duroy, who uses his liaisons with rich and / or powerful women to achieve the wealth and social position he craves. Bel-Ami is the nickname given to him by the daughter of a mistress. It means "handsome (or beautiful) friend", but the nickname, like al...more

like 6 likes

· see review

Mar 25, 2009

Manny rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: french, too-sexy-for-maiden-aunts, older-women-younger-men

On the surface, the moral of the book is simple: be a complete bastard, treat all the women you meet like dirt and exploit them as much as possible, and you'll be a stunning success. The author stays deadpan thoughout; it's impossible to tell for sure whether he's being ironic, though one strongly suspects he is. Fans of the Flashman series will probably enjoy this too.

Isaiah's comment highlighted for me why the book is so fascinating. Most people don't want to admit to themselves ho...more

like 5 likes

· see review

Dec 27, 2011

Foster Buckman rated it

Bel-ami, is a novel about money, sex and power. relationships between politics and press, dominated by ferocious self interest prostituted values. This inst a book i would normally pick up and read but i thought to give it a try, and i'm glad i did.

The novel revolves around the activities and adventures of George Duroy, who is an aspiring journalist returning from French-occupied Algeria. He decides to try his luck in Paris, and for some reason, his luck is stellar. He meets one man, w...more

· see review

Dec 20, 2011

Roberta rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2007

Concepito e scritto nell’arco del 1884, nel 1885 Bel-Ami venne pubblicato a puntate sul giornale “Gil Blas” e in volume presso l’editore Harvard. Ambientato in una Parigi ostaggio di una borghesia cinica e corrotta, Bel-Ami racconta l’ascesa di uno di questi “mostri”, che in virtù del suo disincanto e della sua mancanza di scrupoli si assicura la ricchezza e l’avanzamento sociale.

Il romanzo suscitò molte polemiche per via del personaggio Walter, proprietario ebreo del giornale presso i...moreConcepito e scritto nell’arco del 1884, nel 1885 Bel-Ami venne pubblicato a puntate sul giornale “Gil Blas” e in volume presso l’editore Harvard. Ambientato in una Parigi ostaggio di una borghesia cinica e corrotta, Bel-Ami racconta l’ascesa di uno di questi “mostri”, che in virtù del suo disincanto e della sua mancanza di scrupoli si assicura la ricchezza e l’avanzamento sociale.

Il romanzo suscitò molte polemiche per via del personaggio Walter, proprietario ebreo del giornale presso il quale tenta la carriera l’arrivista Georges Duroy (il bel-ami del titolo). Walter è un banchiere che utilizza il suo giornale esclusivamente a fini economici e politici, e la descrizione negativa di questo personaggio garantì a Maupassant l’accusa di antisemitismo. Venne anche condannata la descrizione di un intero mondo (quello del giornalismo) in termini interamente denigratori. Nonostante (o forse grazie) a questo, il libro ebbe un enorme successo anche presso la critica letteraria, malgrado le riserve sulla “cattiveria” del mondo descritto dall’autore. Una volta scemate le polemiche legate all’attualità del romanzo, fu possibile valutarlo in termini meramente letterari, scoprendo che esso reggeva bene. La modernità del romanzo risiede nell’universalità dei moti che spingono all’azione Duroy ma anche i personaggi comprimari che, nonostante siano inseriti in un ambiente fermamente radicato nel suo tempo, appaiono ancor oggi attualissimi.

Georges Duroy, provincialotto di belle speranze, dopo una breve esperienza nell’esercito (interrotta a causa della sua incapacità di adeguarsi alla vita militare) si tuffa a Parigi, dove tutti fanno fortuna. Qui incontra un suo ex commilitone che gli offre un posto nel giornale in cui scrive lui stesso. Georges accetta e da questo momento in poi la sua sarà una rapida ascesa, agevolata da più donne che Georges sfrutta dal momento stesso in cui capisce di possedere un’invidiabile ascendente presso il gentil sesso.

Maupassant è un abilissimo indagatore dell’animo umano e, come ebbe a dire Conrad, la popolarità gli era preclusa solo per la sua insistenza nel descrivere ogni bruttura a cui si piega l’animo umano, rifiutandosi di ammorbidire la realtà. Nonostante questo, Maupassant non si abbassa al cinismo dei suoi personaggi, che scruta con una certa lucida compassione. Quello che rimane a fine lettura, è un certo disagio al pensiero dell’incredibile solitudine di questo uomo talentuoso e di successo, Duroy, che sfrutta senza problemi qualsiasi rapporto umano, qualsiasi benevolenza, pur di ottenere più soldi, più riconoscimento sociale, più nobiltà.(less)

· see review

Feb 08, 2011

Joselito rated it

· review of another edition

If Flaubert has his heroine Madame Bovary, then Guy de Maupassant has his hero, George Duroy, nicknamed "Bel Ami" ( can't understand, however, why in the English translation of the book "Bel Ami" is translated as "Pretty Boy" when it actually means "good friend" and "pretty/beautiful boy" is "beaux garcon"). Both characters, you will either love or hate.

Had George Duroy (he later changed it to "George Du Roy" aft...moreIf Flaubert has his heroine Madame Bovary, then Guy de Maupassant has his hero, George Duroy, nicknamed "Bel Ami" ( can't understand, however, why in the English translation of the book "Bel Ami" is translated as "Pretty Boy" when it actually means "good friend" and "pretty/beautiful boy" is "beaux garcon"). Both characters, you will either love or hate.

Had George Duroy (he later changed it to "George Du Roy" after he succeeded in marrying into money to make his name more aristocratic-sounding) and Madame Bovary gotten married, they would have been a most exciting couple. For one, they are both good-looking, love fame, money and sex. True, they surely would not have been faithful to each other but their mutual infidelity would not have been without any reason. For Madame Bovary, most likely it would be out of boredom, after marital passion had simmered down; for the Pretty Boy, the irresistible temptation that wealthy women drag him into.

What I find admirable about Flaubert and De Maupassant is the decency in the manner they write their scandals. A modern author like J.G. Ballard, for example, would describe a lovemaking inside a car even to the last spurt of semen creaming the steering wheel. Most readers would find this repulsive, as too much of anything deadens the senses. De Maupassant, in contrast, simply glides over these scenes like they're unimportant yet the pages throb with eroticism. He simply writes, for example, that: "The cab rocked like a ship." Then he makes the woman tell her lover afterwards: "It is not so nice as in our room." Simple, yet far more effective than having semen on the steering wheel.

Don't get the impression, however, that De Maupassant is shy or inhibited. When sex is still in the mind, and when its charm is most potent, his creative juices flow like an endless ejaculation. Witness this scene, for example, when George Duroy has not become a gigolo yet. He is dining with two wealthy, attractive, married ladies--both of whom have the hots for him and who later will become his mistresses. They were dining and, of course, talking. Then:

"the conversation, descending from the elevated theories, concerning love, strayed into the flowery garden of refined indecency. It was the moment of clever double meanings; veils raised by words, as petticoats are lifted by the wind; tricks of language; clever disguised audacities; sentences which reveal nude images in covered phrases; which cause the vision of all that may not be said to flit rapidly before the eye and the mind, and allow the well-bred people the enjoyment of a kind of subtle and mysterious love, a species of impure mental contact, due to the simultaneous evocation of secret, shameful, and longed-for pleasures. The roast, consisting of partridges flanked by quails, had been served; than a dish of green peas, and then a terrine of foie gras, accompanied by a curly-leaved salad, filling a salad bowl as though with green foam. They had partaken of all these things without tasting them, without knowing, solely taken up by what they were talking of, plunged as it were in a bath of love."

Ah, yes. The French, indeed, write the best sex books!(less)

like 8 likes

· see review

Sep 10, 2010

Esther rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classic, audio-book, foreign

Yes, Bel-Ami was a nasty person. But he wasn't the only one. All of the women were *married* - except for Suzanne, the last (who is the one I feel sorry for). The rest all made conscious decisions to do the wrong thing, and it shouldn't have been surprising to them that bad would come of it.

Having just read "Envy" by Epstein, it's hard for me not to note that Bel Ami was a person driven by that emotion. Up to the very end, when he has attained so much, he looks around him ...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Jul 13, 2010

James rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: literature

Maupassant is always easy to read and superbly engaging. I've read a few of his novels in the past, most recently Pierre and Jean, a powerful story about sibling rivalry. That novel, short as it is, managed to capture a very distinct and vivid world, and while Maupassant's characteristic pessimism is there shading the background, it was not overwhelming and it did not mar the story.

With Bel Ami, however, I think the pessimism is a bit too glaring. The story follows the improbable asc...moreMaupassant is always easy to read and superbly engaging. I've read a few of his novels in the past, most recently Pierre and Jean, a powerful story about sibling rivalry. That novel, short as it is, managed to capture a very distinct and vivid world, and while Maupassant's characteristic pessimism is there shading the background, it was not overwhelming and it did not mar the story.

With Bel Ami, however, I think the pessimism is a bit too glaring. The story follows the improbable ascendancy of a nobody named Georges Duroy. It's hard to tell whether Maupassant was simply condemning the idiocy of his own culture or making a larger philosophical statement about human existence in general, but throughout the narrative Duroy seems to embody the widespread mediocrity of his age. Duroy, without doing much of anything, accept having many flings with influential women, stumbles upon a job as a journalist--a job which he has no experience in and must rely upon others to show him just how little is really expected of him--and then by happenstance is thrown into various upper tier circles in Paris. Maupassant seems to have many axes to grind with Parisian society and how greed and dilettantism are all that seem to flourish once wealth steps in and secures one against a life of difficulties.

You will not like Duroy, but in a strange way, because his shortcomings seem so utterly human, you'll understand why he does the things that he does. He is young and handsome, and these things seem to shield him from a greater consciousness of what he's doing.

In spite of the readability of the story, I didn't find the story that compelling. It is finely plotted, but something seemed to be lacking, something that Maupassant's master Flaubert's novels all seem to retain. I would recommend this story to anyone who loves French literature and also just a good yarn, where nothing in the way of happy or moralistic endings are expected. Maupassant, who wrote a delightful short story in homage to Schopenhauer, remains true in this work, as he does in most of his writings, to that old German curmudgeon's despairing world view. It can appear a little silly at times, to only see the negative side of things, but perhaps it was simply the existential malaise that flourished at that time seeping into a genius' work, helping to disband the trashy, superficial veneer of a decadent, aristocratic society on the wane.

Lastly, the story moves very quickly and can be read in a very short time. I'm not a speed reader and I read it in about four hours. If anything you won't be bored. (less)

· see review

Jul 20, 2010

Lavinia rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, fiction

The 3-star rating technically means I liked it. Well, actually I didn't exactly enjoy the subject (forget the writing style, I didn't depict anything spectacular, though I read some Maupassant in the past), but the plot in itself must have had something catchy since the book reads in basically no time, once you're into it.

So, there's this guy, Georges Duroy, poor, hungry, not particularly endowed with any skills, wandering the streets of Paris. Once he meets the right people and make...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Mar 07, 2010

Catherine Kealhofer rated it

· review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 26, 2012

Hareton Linton rated it

· review of another edition

ძალიან მომწონა.
არ მოველოდი, იმიტომ რომ ფრანგული კლასიკის უმეტესობა ახლა უკვე სათქმელდაკარგულია და ენაც მოუხეშავი, გაწელილსიუჟეტიანი.
მაგრამ მოპასანი ისე კარგად აღწერს დიდებისკენ მიმავალ გზას. ფინალი ყველაზე მეტად მომეწონა - დატოვა მანკიერი გმირი დიდების მწვერვალზე.
მწერლის დამოკიდებულებამ მომხიბლა - თითქოს ერთგვარად ამართლებს კიდეც ასეთ გზას, თუკი მის პირად ცხოვრებას, მრწამსსა და მსოფლმხედველობასაც გავითვალისწინებთ. ზოლასავით მსახვრალი არაა, უფრო ლმობიერი და განყენებულია.

like 2 likes

· see review

Mar 22, 2011

Kim Perez rated it

· review of another edition

What I liked about this book is that the protagonist (if you can truly call him that) does something that most main characters never do: he doesn't change. Granted, he changes on the "outside" by becoming more successful, wealthy and popular. But he never takes that journey inside himself - realizing his flaws, eradicating them, then enjoying a happy ending - that most characters do. When we first meet DuRoy he is a morally repugnant guy. When the story ends he is the same jerk with ...more

· see review

Jun 27, 2011

Tim Freeman rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics, classic-fiction-book-club

Very enjoyable; I can see my self reading some more of his work, in fact I just ordered a collection of his short stories. I'm not sure what the attraction exactly was, it wasn't because I found Georges particularly a nice or admirable character, so it wasn't that. It wasn't the story per se either, being a little thin in the plot department, just not a lot to it, a moral fable of sorts for sure, that is hard to miss, but what I think held me to this book was the clear style, the crisp sentences...more

like 1 like

· see review

Mar 02, 2011

Gisele Alv rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Una de mis novelas clasicas favoritas! El personaje de George Duroy, es tan mujeriego, que con tal de subir de escala social, hace lo que sea, se aprovechas de las amistades, de sus amantes, es tramposo, escurridizo, hijo de campesinos, nace pobre y al principio es un poco mediocre, pero las ganas de ser alguien en la sociedad parisiense, lo hacen inescrupuloso, al borde de crear conflictos personales, con el fin de sacar el mejor provecho de las situaciones. Senti pena por los personajes femeni...more

· see review

Apr 10, 2011

Ajableu rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: french-literature

I loved Bel-Ami. George Du Roy, nicked named Bel Ami or "Beautiful Friend" or "Pretty Boy" as my translation called him, manages to climb his way to the top of society through artful seduction, lust, and greed. You will fall in love with George, a tall and elegant Playboy who becomes a journalist for a Parisian journal. You will fall in love with the sophisticated women George seduces -- each one smart, charming and deeply in love with George .

I loved Guy de Maupas...more

like 1 like

· see review

Nov 27, 2011

Christina (A Reader of Fictions) rated it

· review of another edition

Bel Ami tells the story of Georges Duroy, a man with a magnificent mustache and a desire for advancement and women. Throughout the novel, he attempts to obtain these things, using his incredibly seductive mustache. This is not a joke. Oh how I wish it was.

I seriously hated this novel, which I listened to in audiobook form. Almost from the first, I wanted nothing more than to punch this smarmy French bastard in the face. He is an incredibly awful person and has absolutely zero respect...moreBel Ami tells the story of Georges Duroy, a man with a magnificent mustache and a desire for advancement and women. Throughout the novel, he attempts to obtain these things, using his incredibly seductive mustache. This is not a joke. Oh how I wish it was.

I seriously hated this novel, which I listened to in audiobook form. Almost from the first, I wanted nothing more than to punch this smarmy French bastard in the face. He is an incredibly awful person and has absolutely zero respect for women. Actually, I think this book should have been subtitled "Monsieur Mustache Seduces Every Woman of His Acquaintance." Why? Because he really does. He beds every female character with more than a couple of lines. The end result of his great success is to categorize all women as whores. Thank you so much for writing this Guy de Maupassant. Womenkind is so grateful.

On top of that, all of these relationships, with the exception of one (which involves seducing the daughter of a mother he seduced), involves adultery. I know that there is a fine French tradition of viewing adulterous relationships as the home of real love, but this isn't the time period of Chretien de Troyes. All of these people are completely awful and unlike other bits of pop culture (like Mad Men) with only terrible characters, these are not even interesting. I don't give a damn about how good anyone is at playing cup and ball, of which there are numerous descriptions.

The audiobook itself was pretty awful as well, I thought. For one thing, the editing does not seem to have been done very well, as the narrator's deep, rattly breaths are often audible. Speaking of which, McDonough does not make a satisfying narrator for this particular story. The book is about a young, attractive man, skilled in seduction, which means that an old man with gasping breaths that make him sound close to death may not be the ideal choice for a narrator. This is not to say that McDonough could not be an excellent narrator for another book that was better edited, but he was not the right choice for Bel Ami.(less)

· see review

Apr 04, 2011

Marina Antunes rated it

· review of another edition

Guy de Maupassant's tale of a womanizer sleeping his way through the aristocracy of Paris to get to the top must have been quite the scandalous read when it was first published. Even by today's standards, Georges Duroy, the book's scoundrel, is a despicable character but the combination of unlikable character, unlikable women and language keep the story at arm's length making it difficult to feel anything for any of the characters. The novel is very factual, chronicaling the events with little e...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Jan 16, 2012

Jennifer rated it

· review of another edition

I'm really torn on this book; Although I enjoyed it, I was really disappointed that I didn't "connect" with the characters more. Overall I thought it was fun (and since I didn't connect well, kind of light), ultimately I was expecting a bit more raunch. What can I say? I want the dirty, sexy details :) You do NOT get the dirty details in this book other than "after we'd made love"... yada yada yada.

I thought "Bel Ami" himself was quite clever, but ugh,...more

· see review

Sep 10, 2010

Sonia rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: 2010_challenge-100-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

like 1 like

· see review

Jun 28, 2007

Kevin Sebastian rated it

· review of another edition

Recommends it for: vin, luc, roger

i read this in school and am rereading it again in the french version. not sure what the translations are like, but Maupassant's French is still so current and this story could be set in today's UWS or in a posh inburb of Chicago or LA. Bel-Ami is a great, horrible character, and Maupassant is able to sustain his short-story telling talent throughout this novel.

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 23, 2012

Stefanie Price rated it

· review of another edition

When Bel-Ami got selected as our next book club read, my heart sank. I'd read Maupassant's short stories at University, and quite enjoyed them - but for some reason, the prospect of translated 19th century french literature didn't sound like a very accessible or enjoyable effort. I was wholly and happily WRONG. Bel-Ami is immediately warm and extremely human in tone, flying off the page so smoothly that I found myself devouring the book in half the time I normally take to read a tome of this len...more

· see review

Jan 18, 2011

Bee rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: rob-books, classics, paperback

I started reading this story right after it was announced that Robert Pattinson were to play the protagonist, Georges Duroy, in the filmatisation of the book. Yeah. Since then the movie has been made and is now only waiting for a release date. Had I been reading this book for any other reason I probably would have given up on it a long time ago.

Now this isn't saying that the book is all that bad. It's just not my kind of book. The pace is rather slow and the intrigue a bit repetitive....more

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 28, 2012

Penny rated it

· review of another edition

In an odd way, this book is an example of how much things can stay the same, even with the passage of vast amounts of time, and on the other hand what has changed.

The story takes place in Paris at the end of World War I. A soldier (the central character)has made it through the war and is now trying to re-establish himself with work and society. He's living a pauper's life until a chance meeting of an old friend.

His friend kindly offers him the assistance he needs to get...more

· see review

Jan 24, 2011

Misskay rated it

· review of another edition

Guy De Maupassant penned his own epitaph: "I have coveted everything and taken pleasure in nothing." Those words truly set the stage for his second written novel, 'Bel Ami'. I really enjoyed reading about Georges Duroy struggles as he slowly climbed his way up to the top as a journalist. You really do start to almost root for Georges, until you remember his conduct is truly disgraceful. Whatever he achieved in his life, it never fully satisfied him. He always wanted more. Even in...more

· see review

Aug 05, 2009

Mazel rated it

· review of another edition

Le monde est une mascarade où le succès va de préférence aux crapules.

La réussite, les honneurs, les femmes et le pouvoir: le monde n'a guère changé.

On rencontre toujours - moins les moustaches - dans les salles de rédaction ou ailleurs, de ces jeunes aventuriers de l'arrivisme et du sexe.

Comme Flaubert, mais en riant, Maupassant disait de son personnage, l'odieux Duroy : " Bel-Ami, c'est moi.

" Et pour le cynisme, la fureur sensuelle, ...more

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 15, 2012

Rachael Wade rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

"And Duroy, inspired by the silence of the church to indulge in vast conjectures about the world, summed it all up in one lapidary phrase: 'How stupid it all is.'

Bel-Ami is masterfully written, sprinkled with frank, witty humor. I absolutely love Maupassant's writing and this is one of my favorites, despite the fact Duroy is such a horrid character. He's the type of man that you despise—a complete bastard with no respect for anyone but himself. His weakness is his pride, ...more
"And Duroy, inspired by the silence of the church to indulge in vast conjectures about the world, summed it all up in one lapidary phrase: 'How stupid it all is.'

Bel-Ami is masterfully written, sprinkled with frank, witty humor. I absolutely love Maupassant's writing and this is one of my favorites, despite the fact Duroy is such a horrid character. He's the type of man that you despise—a complete bastard with no respect for anyone but himself. His weakness is his pride, and yet his pride is also the catalyst for his success. Throughout the entire novel, I'm fascinated by the dichotomy. At first, you almost sympathize with him, feel empathy toward his perspective. He's a poor young man who wonders why he can't have what the wealthy have. Why he can't have his own piece of the pie. His desire for a better life almost seems...endearing.

“And, as his eye fell on his laundry bill which the porter had brought up to him that very evening, he was seized by sudden black despair. All his cheerfulness evaporated in a second, together with his self-confidence and his belief in his future. This was the end, there was nothing more to hope for, he would never achieve anything, he would never be anybody, he felt empty, inadequate, useless, a doomed man.”

Then, as the story progresses, you start to see how small minded and vain his desire for "greatness" really is. It's so limited, with no motivation other than self-satisfaction and self pleasure. There are small nods that show his compassion for others, such as a scene where he's in a church and notices a weeping, praying woman while waiting to meet Madame Walter:

“He muttered under his breath: 'Poor wretches. There are some people who really do suffer.' And he felt a sudden anger against the cruelty of nature.”

One minute, he expresses what seems to be genuine fondness for his many mistresses, and the next, he shrugs off his disappointment with them by saying, “Women are all whores,” and “Every man for himself.” Then there is the line that further confirms his attitude: “My dear woman, love doesn’t last forever. Easy come, easy go.” Duroy is never, ever content and is driven by an all-consuming envy.

This novel is frank yet sentimental, full of emotional tenderness yet cold to the bone, and littered with the dirty truth that power, greed, and sex saturate the world of politics—even then, in 19th century Paris. The reflection on life and death during a scene with the poet Norbert de Varenne and a scene involving Forestier’s death really intrigued me, demonstrating proof that Duroy did in fact question the value of his life, influence, and existence, despite his cynicism and indifference.

Within a matter of minutes, though, he’s back to pursuing as much as he can, when he can, as quickly as he can, for the sake of his own satisfaction. It’s almost as if he feels this obsessive need to obtain luxury and success before it’s too late, before death claims him. It’s this desperation in Maupassant’s writing that is so captivating, and why this story will always hold a cozy spot on my “favorites” shelf. If you love period dramas and interesting character-driven fiction, definitely give this a read.
(less)

like 1 like

· see review

Oct 01, 2011

Gabriela Mejia rated it

· review of another edition

I enjoyed reading this book and while Bel-ami is your world class opportunistic asshole it didn't bother me that he was. In the end it seemed like everyone was being used so Bel-Ami wasn't much different. I presume that for the time this was written, it must have been a scandalous read, even I felt a little scandalized by some of the actions taken by Georges... Specifically how easily he manipulated the women of the aristocracy to get himself to the top no matter the age or marital status...it'...more

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 28, 2011

Keirstan rated it

· review of another edition

Shelves: classics, french, fiction

I would never have expected to like a novel featuring a central character as contemptible as George “Pretty-boy” Duroy. However, the authenticity and grandeur of Guy de Maupassant’s Paris in his masterpiece Bel-Ami surpasses the utter smarminess of its antihero. This novel on the corrupt side of human ambition is not only addictive to read, but frighteningly modern as well.

“Bel-ami” (translated to “Pretty-boy” in my edition) is the moniker given to the aspiring journalist George Du...moreI would never have expected to like a novel featuring a central character as contemptible as George “Pretty-boy” Duroy. However, the authenticity and grandeur of Guy de Maupassant’s Paris in his masterpiece Bel-Ami surpasses the utter smarminess of its antihero. This novel on the corrupt side of human ambition is not only addictive to read, but frighteningly modern as well.

“Bel-ami” (translated to “Pretty-boy” in my edition) is the moniker given to the aspiring journalist George Duroy by the daughter of his mistress, Madame Clotilde de Marelle. The nickname sticks and Duroy is happily referred by it as he maneuvers his way up the social ladder of late 19th century Parisian society. The diminutive is apt as it is by way of society women like de Marelle that Duroy is able to realize his social and financial ambitions.

It is clear that Duroy’s rise from a poor, graceless amateur to wealthy newspaper professional is impressive; however, one finishes the novel with the feeling that while happy for the moment, Duroy’s contentedness will not last. As he exits the wedding hall with Susan, his young heiress of a bride, his thoughts revert quickly to the more sensual Clotilde. With this image, the realization of the destructive effect of Duroy’s ruthless ambition is complete.

Duory, however, is not the only character willing to cross the line of morality in order to realize his ambition. Madeleine Forestier, the wife of Duroy’s earliest benefactor, is essentially a female version of the title character. Like Duroy, Madeleine employs less-than-sterling tactics as she orchestrates her own climb into Paris’s social elite. Just as Duroy manipulates the affections of society women for his own gain, Madeleine charms professional upstarts in order to mold them into the type of men that will further her own ideas and social standing. Like Duroy, Madeleine’s capability for true happiness is left in the balance as her ambition is never fully realized.

If Bel-Ami is to be read as a cautionary tale on the hazards of ruthless ambition, it offers its readers an alternative to the destruction it details. By way of the monologue of Norbert de Varenne, a poet-colleague of Duroy’s, Maupassant advises us not to yield to insatiable ambition, rather to seek the company of others and hope for the opportunity to love and be loved most of all.

Maupassant’s classic novel of ambition, Bel-Ami, is a surprisingly engaging read, despite the lack of empathy I felt for nearly all of its characters. Despite that fact, I am glad to have spent the time I did with Duroy in his glamorous quest for importance.
(less)

· see review

Sep 13, 2011

Andrea (mrsaubergine) rated it

· review of another edition

OK, so the guy on the cover is neither handsome nor particularly young looking, but it goes without saying who I pictured in my head while reading this novella ;)

The subtitle "The History of a Scoundrel" certainly describes this book perfectly. Georges Duroy is a cad of the highest order who has little talent but still manages to claw his way to become the editor of a newspaper. He wins a Legion of Honor medal for being the French foreign minister's PR flunkey, and gains a...more

like 1 like

· see review

May 12, 2010

Paula rated it

· review of another edition

Before I continue I should tell you all that I bought ‘Bel~Ami’ on the basis that Robert Pattinson will be playing the part of Georges Duroy in the film, which is currently being filmed, I wanted to find out more about it and I was not disappointed.

Bel ~Ami was written in 1885 and although some part of it is dated, the book does stand the test of time. Georges Duroy is seductive, handsome, determined and treats women like objects without any signs of regret, he knows what he wants a...more

like 3 likes

· see review

Sep 19, 2011

Lapeg Pierrot rated it

· review of another edition

Echappé des lectures adolescentes, Bel-Ami est à classer à côté des « Illusions perdues » de Balzac, comme peinture délicate du milieu de la presse au 19e s. Sur fond de conquête d'Algérie et de colonialisme européen, Bel-Ami narre le parcours d'un militaire à son retour de campagne. Instruit, il erre en désespérance, jusqu'à ce qu'il croise un compagnon de régiment, carriériste dans la presse. Et voilà, l'ex-militaire d'origine paysanne à l'assaut de la presse et des conquêtes féminines... Le r...more

· see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 174 175 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Goodreads Librarians: download version on GR is French not English	2	29	Jan 02, 2012 04:07pm

combine
Other Editions (158)

More editions...

Genres

Classics

115 users

Cultural > France

56 users

European Literature > French Literature

25 users

Literature

17 users

Literature > 19th Century

16 users

Novels

7 users

Historical Fiction

6 users

Romance

5 users

Academic > School

5 users

Academic > Read For School

5 users

See top shelves...

Readers Also Enjoyed

About Guy de Maupassant

Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant was a popular 19th-century French writer. He is one of the fathers of the modern short story. A protege of Flaubert, Maupassant's short stories are characterized by their economy of style and their efficient effortless dénouement. He also wrote six short novels. A number of his stories often denote the futility of war and the innocent civilians who get crushed i...more

More about Guy de Maupassant...

Books by Guy de Maupassant

Selected Short Stories (Penguin Classics, 30 stories)

Le Horla et autres contes fantastiques (Classiques hachette)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Pin It

Trivia About Bel-Ami

1 trivia question

More quizzes & trivia...

Quotes from Bel-Ami

“Les paroles d'amour, qui sont toujours les mêmes, prennent le goût des lèvres dont elles sortent.” — 9 people liked it

“Life is a slope. As long as you're going up you're always looking towards the top and you feel happy, but when you reach it, suddenly you can see the road going downhill and death at the end of it all. It's slow going up and quick going down.” — 2 people liked it

More quotes…

Groups That Shelved Bel-Ami

Boxall's 1001 Books You ...

10996 members

last activity 16 minutes ago

shelf: read

Around the World in 80 Books

331 members

last activity 13 minutes ago

shelf: read

Bangladesh

85 members

last activity Feb 07, 2012 08:40am

shelf: read

title link	preview: Bel-Ami
avg rating	preview: Bel-Ami Goodreads rating: 3.76 (2860 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3300813-bel-ami?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1327948308m/3300813.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3300813-bel-ami?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Bel-Ami by Guy de Maupassant[/url]

Bel-Ami

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Readers Also Enjoyed

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website