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Bel-Ami

by Guy de Maupassant, Jean-Louis Bory (contributor)

3.77 of 5 stars 3.77 · rating details · 7,390 ratings · 498 reviews

Georges Duroi, dit Bel-Ami, est un jeune homme au physique avantageux.
Le hasard d'une rencontre le met sur la voie de l'ascension sociale. Malgré sa vulgarité et son ignorance, cet arriviste parvient au sommet par l'intermédiaire de ses maîtresses et du journalisme. Cinq héroïnes vont tour à tour l'initier aux mystères du métier, aux secrets de la mondanité et lui assurer...more

Mass Market Paperback, 448 pages

Published May 14th 1999 by Gallimard (first published 1885)

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Aug 31, 2011 Kim rated it 4 of 5 stars · 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 almost every...more

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Jan 23, 2013 Francesco Fantuzzi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

La lettura di un capolavoro, molto di frequente, concede sin dalle prime righe la possibilità di intuire che ci troviamo di fronte ad un' opera d'arte indiscutibile. Ebbene, la lettura di "Bel ami" ci rende consapevoli del fatto che ci troviamo a fare i conti con un personaggio, Georges Duroy, per molti versi emblematico, uno di quei personaggi che "fanno epoca", cioè che ci parlano dell'epoca loro e dell'epoca nostra. Il contenuto del romanzo si delinea sin dalle prime battute: si seguirnno la...more La lettura di un capolavoro, molto di frequente, concede sin dalle prime righe la possibilità di intuire che ci troviamo di fronte ad un' opera d'arte indiscutibile. Ebbene, la lettura di "Bel ami" ci rende consapevoli del fatto che ci troviamo a fare i conti con un personaggio, Georges Duroy, per molti versi emblematico, uno di quei personaggi che "fanno epoca", cioè che ci parlano dell'epoca loro e dell'epoca nostra. Il contenuto del romanzo si delinea sin dalle prime battute: si seguirnno la vita e le opere di un individuo dotato. La dote che reca con sé gli permette un certo fascino e un'amabile piacevolezza, che sorvolano sulla sua personale condizione economica o sulla sua estrazione sociale. La cifra distintiva del romanzo è infatti il trionfo delle seduzione, nel suo significato anche etimologico. Georges Duroy piace, e incontrerà la sua fortuna quando oltre a capacitarsi del proprio fascino intuirà che tale caratteristica può rappresentare una scorciatoia nella vita. Seduzione e ambizione: un vero e proprio motore per l'individuo che voglia emergere, in società: oggi come allora. La, tutto sommato, breve scalata al potere di Georges Duroy, che cambierà poi nome in un più aristocraticamente altisonante Du Roy de Cantel, è un percorso in discesa, laddove non si faccia scrupolo di calpestare ogni regola morale e ogni sentimento sincero. L'eroe del romanzo è una figura con tutti i caratteri della contemporaneità e dunque un personaggio che nasce già "classico". La stessa accoppiata sesso/potere ha molte cose da dire ancora oggi: strumento prediletto da chi brama di arrivare alla meta e scorciatoia che, sfruttando l'intimità abbrevia il percorso della comunicazione, costituisce una via rapidissima per ottenere ciò di cui si è assetati.
Le figure femminili del romanzo, astute e infelici, prede e strumenti, seduttrici e donne abbandonate, costituiscono un interessante panorama di tipi umani. Nessuna di esse però potrà prevalere fino in fondo nei confronti di Georges, che più avanza nell'età come nella società, più sembra perdere di sensibilità, come un dente devitalizzato. Un protagonista comunque insoddisfatto, per il quale ogni traguardo apre uno spiraglio su una nuova aspirazione, su una possibile nuova felicità che attenda dietro l'angolo, sia che si tratti di una nuova conquista, sia che si tratti di un riaffiorare nostalgico di una relazione passata. Significativa a questo proposito la conclusione, decisamente aperta, del romanzo, con un bel matrimonio (il secondo) tra il protagonista e la figlia di una sua precedente vittima, frutto di estorisione e di lucida strategia, nel bel mezzo del quale emerge, sensualissimo, il ricordo della signora de Marelle (antica e indimenticata amante) a proiettarci in possibili ipotesi circa scenari futuri.
La scaltrezza è un'ulteriore cifra del protagonista, che si disvela, oltre che nel ricatto che sta alla base di quel secondo matrimonio, nel piano architettato per far venire a galla il flagarante adulterio della moglie (Madeleine, vedova del vecchio amico Forestier, e artefice della gloria giornalistica del marito e poi dello stesso Georges), pedina ormai poco utile, ma soprattutto responsabile di sconvenienti sentimenti di gelosia in Georges, che rischierebbero di incrinare il suo personaggio in società.
Il lettore può provare disgusto, sentimenti di condanna, compassione umana, addirittura ammirazione per un tale carattere, può passare da un sentimento all'altro, come Georges passa da Duroy a Du Roy de Cantel: il romanzo lascia aperte molte possibilità.
A colpire e lasciare di stucco il lettore è senz'altro lo smisurato talento del narratore, e uno stile che riesce felicemente a rasentare la perfezione senza mai apparire lezioso o snob. Descrizioni incantevoli, narrazioni lievi e coinvolgenti, una scrittura che non perde mai il focus, lucida e precisa, elegante e mai superflua.

Che dire di più? Bel ami è stato il primo romanzo di Guy de Maupassant che io avessi mai letto e mi ha segnato come un'esperienza felicissima.(less)

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Apr 10, 2011 Roberta rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: classici, favorites

Georges Duroy is not a conventional hero: he is selfish, tries to take advantage of everything and he is very stupid. The reason he achieves success is that he is handsome and lucky, incredibly lucky.

It is luck that makes him meet with a journalist and his looks makes him merry the widow of his friend, a smart woman that wrote the articles of his previous husband and now writes Georges'.

The most interesting part regards the newspaper: it has not much quality but it has political sympathies (symp...more

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Mar 25, 2009 Manny rated it 4 of 5 stars

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 how important...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Foster Buckman rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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, who gives h...more

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Jun 06, 2012 Shaherzad ahmadi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So, the writing isn't GREAT, but I'm sure it loses some zest in the translation; perhaps if I had read the original French I would have given it a 5. However, currently I am limited to what I can read. Admittedly, there are some great moments, and very, very good writing (though affected dialogue). The one glaring annoyance I can report is his general lack of comfort with describing SEX. Yes, the entire book is about it but Maupassant hates to directly discuss what it is that makes Duroy so rich...more So, the writing isn't GREAT, but I'm sure it loses some zest in the translation; perhaps if I had read the original French I would have given it a 5. However, currently I am limited to what I can read. Admittedly, there are some great moments, and very, very good writing (though affected dialogue). The one glaring annoyance I can report is his general lack of comfort with describing SEX. Yes, the entire book is about it but Maupassant hates to directly discuss what it is that makes Duroy so rich and powerful. A sly comment or a vague description just doesn't cut it for me. About a month ago I read Lady Chatterley and that has come to define my standard for the manner in which relationships should be described. Strictly speaking, the most intimate moments should never be skimmed over, for that is where one may establish the tone of a relationship: whether that be Duroy's overwhelming feeling of pride preceding the act as he basked in his successes in love (was that his feeling before the act with all of his lovers? We don't know) or, more likely for Duroy's lovers, the desperate jealousy of a mistress coupled with ill-begotten hope that next time he would be more present, more affectionate. The only sex-life which is described in detail is that of Virginie's and Duroy's and one can see that it makes all the difference to know what they were like in bed together as it comes to definitively shape Duroy's view of Virginie; her sexual inexperience and little quirks causing his intense disgust of her person.

Now, the book itself is about an amoral jackass. I couldn't overstate the fact of his jackass-ness. It's not that I don't think men like this don't exist, certainly they do: men who are jerks and get away with it because women are just attracted to, and enthralled by, them. Though, for a reader, it's certainly frustrating. You keep waiting for him to be knocked down a peg but instead he climbs steadily up the social ladder until... well... I won't give away the end, but let's just say he seems incapable of failure.

The novel is long enough to accept the evolving character of Duroy (later Du Roy, then even later, Du Roy de Cantel, until finally his self-christened title of Baron sticks). He, like his name, changes - though not suddenly; it is a slow change, much aided by the very women he will soon destroy. I hate to spoil anything, but for those of you who have read the book, the very end was must infuriating. Duroy beats Clotilde, his mistress, then, after publicly proving his disloyalty in a ceremony to mark an occasion important to yet another of his women, it is hinted that their affair will soon continue. After that beating, the reader hopes, desperately so, that Clo will wake up from this spell and realize him the jackass that he truly is. But instead...

It is not that I think it impossible, in fact I think it very possible. But one hopes, in the end, to at least see Bel Ami fail in retaining the one mistress that is so endearing to both the reader and the anti-hero of the tale, especially since his very last thought shared to us is about her. Perhaps her withdrawal, not temporary withdrawal but complete withdrawal, may have affected him somehow. One hopes. But it is unlikely even that would have given this man a conscience. In fact, one of the weaknesses of the book is that, though Duroy does not narrate, the story is told in his perspective: the perspective of a man with no moral conscience or emotional attachment to any character. Thus, all the women are described in a one dimensional fashion, never fleshed out because Duroy himself is not particularly invested in any of them enough to truly know them; they remain uninteresting caricatures defined by their most salient features (Madeleine: clever and pretty; Virginie Walter: old and inexperienced; Clo: bohemian and sensual - however there is something about Clo that sets her apart, she is the only woman given any depth. Though we know nothing about her personally we like that she enjoys working class restaurants and making love by the river, she's dynamic and exciting and it seems Maupassant knew she was the only truly human character of the book and therefore could not let her go, never allowing Duroy to abandon this sweet, young mother, whose daughter Duroy is even fond of).

In the end, one truly just hopes Clo would escape this cruel affair, but even that hope is not fulfilled for the reader almost exhausted by Duroy's inhuman lack of empathy. Though while I think there are some men like this, as empty as this, it is very uncommon, and I certainly don't think it's easy for the rest of us to understand or sit through an entire book parading, and rewarding, the man's depravity. I'm glad he walked away with everything in the end, it causes a more passionate reaction. But it does not please, that's for sure. (less)

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Sep 13, 2011 Andrea (mrsaubergine) rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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 fortune based on borr...more

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Nov 06, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 1001-must-reads, books-2-movies, goal-list-2011-part-2, 2011-reads

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Well I read this so that I would have something to compare the movie too. I'm looking forward now to see Robert Pattinson in this role. It should be interesting. The book was not bad I liked it. Didn't like putting it down, so I'd say it kept my attention.

The character Bel Ami is a down right scoundrel. He is fickle and has no sincere feelings for anyone but himself at any point in the novel. I'd say he progresses over time as in he becomes more and more self-involved and more concerned for his...more

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Nov 24, 2010 Anita Metodieva rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Никой

Напълно безобразно скучна книга. Типична за българската система на образованието. Не бях грабната нито от историята, нито от героите, нито от стила на писателя. За луксове като хубава корица, бъобще не говоря, защото, имайки в предвид, че това е класика,е напълно нормално кориците да са си старомоднички. За това оставям визуалното оформляние назад, назад. Самия сюжет не беше нищо особено и като цяло се движеше много мудно.

Главният герой, който наричат Бел Ами, не е нито мъж на който бих се възхи...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Lisetta rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Come sempre ho trovato la quarta di copertina davvero fuorviante. Leggendola, emerge una figura, quella di Georges Duroy(soprannominato:Bel Ami), come di un uomo bello, abile, scaltro, che attraverso la sua furbizia riesce ad ottenere tutto quello che vuole.

Convinta cos�� di imbattermi in un protagonista tutto sommato anche simpatico, nell'incarnare la figura di "gentiluomo canaglia"inizio a leggere questo romanzo con grande entusiasmo. Ma fin dalle prime pagine, invece mi ritrovo a fronteggiar...more

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Apr 20, 2013 MJ Nicholls rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: novels, penguin-classics, pernod-and-gauloises, pre-1900s

A rollicking tale from Flaubert’s protégé chronicling the inexorable rise of social climber Georges Duroy. Translated by Douglas Parmée, who rendered A Sentimental Education into irresistibly sumptuous English, Bel-Ami is powered by electrifying dialogue and a terse descriptive prowess Flaubert seemingly overemphasised to Maupassant—the prose is so compact you could park it in your driveway. Duroy is a misanthropic schemer and exploiter, but something of a “working-class hero,” if we understand...more

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Feb 04, 2013 gauldy rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Vrhl se k ní a blábolil: 'Tolik vás miluji! Tolik vás miluji!'
Rozevřela paže a padla mu do náruče. Potom k němu zvedla hlavu a dlouze se políbili.
Myslel si: je to snadnější, než jsem doufal. Jde to docela hladce. A když se jejich rty oddělily, beze slova se na ni usmíval a snažil se přitom vložit do svého pohledu nekonečnou lásku.
Také se na něj usmívala tím úsměvem, kterým ženy nabízejí svou touhu, svůj souhlas a vůli oddat se."

Ruku na srdce, každý chlap je tak trochu Georges Duroy, Miláček. (T...more "Vrhl se k ní a blábolil: 'Tolik vás miluji! Tolik vás miluji!'
Rozevřela paže a padla mu do náruče. Potom k němu zvedla hlavu a dlouze se políbili.
Myslel si: je to snadnější, než jsem doufal. Jde to docela hladce. A když se jejich rty oddělily, beze slova se na ni usmíval a snažil se přitom vložit do svého pohledu nekonečnou lásku.
Také se na něj usmívala tím úsměvem, kterým ženy nabízejí svou touhu, svůj souhlas a vůli oddat se."

Ruku na srdce, každý chlap je tak trochu Georges Duroy, Miláček. (Teď jen doufám, že v tom doznání nezůstanu sám.) Mám trochu strach, jestli toho na nás Maupassant nevyzradil příliš...
Když mi Miláčka doporučovali, říkali, že se mi bude líbit méně než Kulička, že je spíše ženským románem. Snad sobě zachovám alespoň špetku mužnosti, pokud prohlásím, že mezi těmi dvěma díly je propastný rozdíl. Miláček z toho vyšel o moc lépe.

Příběh mluví o mladém muži, kterého okouzlí společnost a kariéra. Možná vlastně nacházím jistou podobnost mezi Miláčkem a Obrazem Doriana Graye - v obou případech podlehne (možná ve své podstatě původně docela dobrý) člověk vlastnímu šarmu a závislosti na lichotkách a oblibě. Což může a nemusí vést k jeho pádu.
Ženám se hlavní hrdina, Duroy, prý hnusí, já ho jako chlap musím vidět z jiného úhlu. Z nějakého zvráceného důvod jsem mu fandil. Miláček je ztělesněním ambiciózního chudáka, který se vyzná v lidech možná víc než sám v sobě. Chce být bohatý, to ano. Ale co dál? Pět žen a jedna dcera.

Lhal bych, kdybych řekl, že jsem knihou unesen. Přesto je psána takovým svižným způsobem, že Miláčkův postup společností sledujete rádi a s chutí. První polovinu knihy jsem si vyloženě užíval, ta druhá mě brala méně; každá je tak trochu o něčem jiném, obě jsou však i tak výborné.
Maupassantův styl není pro čtení nijak obtížný, jen se mi možná trochu příčí dlouhé kapitoly - nemám rád, když mám rozečteno. Ale to se knize nedá dost dobře vyčítat.

Vlastně nemám vůbec nic, co bych vyčetl. Je to očividně nadčasová klasika, která se sice mně osobně asi ničím specifickým do hlubin mozkové kůry nezaryje, ale nemálo mě bavila. Tak to má být.
Takže jestli chcete něco svěžího s nádechem osobité Francie na nadcházející slunečná odpoledne, je Miláček jasným favoritem.
5/5(less)

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Dec 27, 2012 Matthew Mccrady rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A fine novel offering a bitter antidote to the stereotypical love story. The nickname of the protagonist, Bel Ami, is an ironic contrast to his actual character. The man is a scoundrel who ruins several women in pursuit of his ambitions. Still the novel ends with his second marriage, a supposedly happy ending that came at the cost of several other people's reputations. De Maupassant brilliantly skewers his protagonist while at the same time never stepping outside the bounds of authorial objectiv...more

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Dec 15, 2012 MaryReads rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

I read this book after watching the movie. The book was far superior to the movie (as is often the case).

The movie portrays Duroy as a self-serving, proud, and ambitious man who uses women in his attempt to better himself. In the beginning of the film he almost appears pathetic. In the film, he merely seems youthfully shallow and desperately manipulative in his attempts to gain social status and financial security. One could almost think that he had a lack of self- esteem. While he appears to b...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Megan Chance rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cynicism! Hypocrisy! Venality! Stupidity! Cupidity! Ambition!
Bel-Ami is about all of those things—and more. Georges Duroy is a handsome man. But he is also poor, with a peasant upbringing. Couple those things with cunning and ambition, and you have a man with the skill to work his way to the top, and to pick an extremely efficient and effective way to do so: through women who are cleverer and better connected than he is. This book reminded me fiercely of the line in Woody Allen’s “Match Point”:...more Cynicism! Hypocrisy! Venality! Stupidity! Cupidity! Ambition!
Bel-Ami is about all of those things—and more. Georges Duroy is a handsome man. But he is also poor, with a peasant upbringing. Couple those things with cunning and ambition, and you have a man with the skill to work his way to the top, and to pick an extremely efficient and effective way to do so: through women who are cleverer and better connected than he is. This book reminded me fiercely of the line in Woody Allen’s “Match Point”: “It’s better to be lucky than good.” Duroy manages to find the woman behind every great man—a few of them, in fact. The women here are (almost all) the most fully realized and superior (intellectually) characters in the book, which is not to say that Duroy himself is not a pretty brilliant a piece of work—in terms of great characterization, that is. He is not an honorable character. He epitomizes futility; he never gets one thing but that he wants something else, something better, something more. The woman who is obviously best for him is the one he can never completely have, and perhaps he would no longer want her if he did. He is ambition incarnate, and part of the conflict/tension comes from knowing that this is a man who will spend his life dissatisfied with whatever he has. Maupassant shows us that with every line, every description (which are pointed and perfect), and one wants Duroy to succeed at the same time one dislikes him for doing so. Except for the women, nearly every character in this book is a study in mediocrity, and the whole story is a rather cynical and ironic lesson in what ambition and luck, hypocrisy and cunning can bring the least deserving. For me this book did not have the tension of Balzac’s “Lost Illusions,” but Duroy is cleverer than Lucien in “Illusions,” though I didn’t like him as much. But, as in Balzac, few characters here actually get what they deserve, and because of that it feels more real than many contemporary novels. And more frustrating as well.
(less)

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Jun 24, 2012 Martin rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't usually feel angry on reaching the final page of a book, but after this one I was incensed. I read it chiefly because 1) it was free on my Kindle and 2) I remember liking Une Vie when I read it in college. If you would fancy a fictional movie where Bernie Madoff, instead of going to jail, gets away with it all, maybe this book is for you. Page after page I was waiting, desperately hoping for Georges Duroy to get his comeuppance, and of course it never came. Did de Maupassant actually bel...more

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Jun 11, 2012 Sally Lewis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A LA Twilight it is always tricky when the main character in a book annoys you. Du Roy in this story began as charming and witty, progressed to the kind of bloke you want to roll your eyes at and ended up a target of my fist. The text, for such a classic book, was surprisingly flowing and easy to read. It had a define addictive quality that has served me well on some long tube journeys. However, I was left disappointed that there was no real climax to the story. Du Roy's actions became somewhat...more

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Dec 20, 2011 Roberta rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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 il quale te...more 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 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)

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Feb 08, 2011 Joselito Honestly and Brilliantly rated it 4 of 5 stars · 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" after he succeeded in marrying into money to make his name more aristocratic-sounding)...more 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" 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)

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Sep 10, 2010 Esther rated it 2 of 5 stars · 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 and begins to envy the...more

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Jul 13, 2010 James rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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 ascendancy of a...more 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 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)

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Apr 18, 2013 Helene Russell rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-club, classics

*may contain spoilers*

I read Bel-Ami for my book club, expecting to "appreciate" but not "enjoy" it. In fact I did both.

Bel-Ami is the story of an ex-cavalry officer who utilises his (slightly inexplicable to me) natural attractiveness to women and wily, sleazy, corrupt scheming to overcome his mediocrity and rise stratespherically in the fields of journalism and then politics.

Bel Ami himself is an unsympathetic childish character. In fact I didn't warm to any of the main characters, apart, per...more

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Jul 21, 2012 Jane rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: borrowed

I have been to 19th century Paris, but I barely knew it. Because I have read a book with a style, with themes, with a story, that felt so very, very contemporary.

This is a story of journalists with dubious ethics, of politicians who use their position for personal gain, of men and women caught up in the quest for power, money and social status.

And at the centre of it all is Georges Duroy. He was an ordinary man, a former soldier, who rose from the bottom of society to the very top. An old friend...more I have been to 19th century Paris, but I barely knew it. Because I have read a book with a style, with themes, with a story, that felt so very, very contemporary.

This is a story of journalists with dubious ethics, of politicians who use their position for personal gain, of men and women caught up in the quest for power, money and social status.

And at the centre of it all is Georges Duroy. He was an ordinary man, a former soldier, who rose from the bottom of society to the very top. An old friend gave him a foot in the door, finding him a position as a journalist, and introducing him to society. And then Duroy, who was both handsome and charming, was able to seduce wealthy women, the bored wives of powerful men, and use their money, their connections, the things they told him to rise further and further up the ladder.

But he was never satisfied. There was always somebody who had a little more than he did, somebody whose position he had to emulate. Or usurp.

He was not a nice man, but he was a fascinating character. At first it was easy to empathise with a man who had served in the army and had subsequently struggled. Easy to be pleased when fortune seemed, finally, to be favouring him. But that changed, as it became clear that he never appreciated what he had, that he was prepared to do almost anything to further his own ends.

He mirrored the society around him. Every man, and every woman, was motivated by the same things. Every one of them would have done exactly the same in his position, and not one of them would have even thought that maybe there was a different way they could live.

That made the story horrifying, fascinating, and more than a little sad.

The story is very much the focus. The style was quite neutral, and very readable. Only the scenes that move the story forward were played out. Dialogue was always to the point. Descriptions were scarce. And there were no characters that didn’t have significant roles to play.

But there was enough variation to keep things interesting. Drama, and a little humour, when the time came for a duel. Upset, and a little self-interest, when there was a death. And an interesting diversity of outlooks and responses among the many mistresses.

All of that could make it the classic for people who don’t like classics. The 19th century novel that isn’t tied to its era. It really was timeless. I suspect that the author realised that, because he did nothing to pinpoint his setting.

The final scene was perfect. Then, as now, it is the ambitious and not necessarily the righteous who prosper. Not an ending, but a fitting conclusion.
(less)

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Jun 04, 2012 Kathy rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction-general

Like most people I read the short story "The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant. Loved how in such a short story he was able to create a powerful story with such staying power. So when I saw this book was being turned into a movie, I thought I'd read the book before I saw the movie.

This was an interesting insight into French society - when looks and position were everything and people reinvented themselves on a regular basis. It was a time when the illusion of propriety was everything but the crass...more

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Jul 20, 2010 Lavinia rated it 3 of 5 stars · 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 makes the right...more

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Mar 07, 2010 Catherine Kealhofer rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

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

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Sep 01, 2012 Rochelle rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I usually do not watch the movie before reading the book, but I watched this movie last night and it was really good. I am not a Robert Pattinson fan at all, and I still think his acting is average, but this story was great. All i kept thinking was "This story must be 10X better as a book". This story is evidence that human nature has not and never will change. I have read comments saying this book has such a modern feel to it because George is so manipulative to get to the top but if you think...more

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May 28, 2012 Anne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: own-e-book

Ok so I read this because I saw the trailer for the film with Robert Pattinson and was intrigued, as embarrassing as that is to admit.

It was a quick read, the ebook I read was only about 200 pages. The alternative title is 'The History of A Scoundrel' and I think that pretty much says it all. Georges is quite deplorable which is rather unusual for a lead character in a book. I found his exploits entertaining at the start of the book but by the end I was just frustrated with him. Also I found it...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Hareton Linton rated it 5 of 5 stars · 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.

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Mar 22, 2011 Kim Perez rated it 4 of 5 stars · 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 a better soc...more

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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

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Quotes from Bel Ami

“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.” — 19 people liked it

“Les paroles d'amour, qui sont toujours les mêmes, prennent le goût des lèvres dont elles sortent.” — 17 people liked it

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