Appelle-Moi Stendhal [French]

By Gérard Guégan

CALL ME STENDHAL

It is a well known fact that everything written about the death of Henri Beyle, otherwise known as Stendhal, is invention. Even his cousin Romain Colomb tampered with the facts. Even M rim e, his longstanding friend, distorted the truth to create a scandal.
There was however an eye witness to the event, Joseph Lingay. This former pupil of Fouch 's was the power behind the throne of the July monarchy and called himself the "most corrupt of corrupters". He had total control over the secret funds of four ministers, and used those funds to the benefit of Gautier, Nerval and the young prostitutes whom Stendhal often shared with him. He was so powerful that he was about to send his companion in debauchery to join the ranks of the Acad mie fran aise.
The two men were in fact coming out of a brothel on 22nd March 1842 when the writer collapsed and was almost run over in the streets of Paris. In the following hours and days, Lingay set about ensuring his legendary status with the help of Old Nick, the man who discovered The Charterhouse of Parma, the young Gobineau who was devoted to the cause of Mathilde de La Mole, and Balzac who was far from scrupulous whenever money was at stake.

In writing this book G rard Gu gan had access to Lingay's secret notebooks which have always been thought lost. On the advice of Stendhal's ghost (unless is was Nimier's or Cendras's), he has taken the liberty of getting up close and personal with history for this last waltz - the last waltz of romanticism. The women featured here (Alberthe, Jules, Monelle and Cl mentine) are audacious and the men brilliant. That's how it was in (almost) real life.

G rard Gu gan has written some thirty books, both novels and historical accounts, such as Fontenoy ne reviendra plus (2011) which won the prix Renaudot for an essay. He has also been managing editor for the reviews Contre-Champ, Subjectif and Cahiers du Futur. Having set up the publishing company ditions Champ Libre he also relaunched ditions du Sagittaire. He is an actor and film director, and has directed five films including the iconic Toutes les histoires de dragons ont un fond de v rit and 68/89.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: French
• ISBN: 223407116X
• ISBN13: 9782234071162
• Release Date: November 2021
• Publisher: Stock
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.48 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.3" x 8.5"