Product Description

The complex moral ambiguities of seduction and revenge make Les Liaisons dangereuses (1782) one of the most scandalous and controversial novels in European literature. The subject of major film and stage adaptations, the novel's prime movers, the Vicomte de Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil, form an unholy alliance and turn seduction into a game - a game which they must win. This new translation gives Laclos a modern voice, and readers will be able a judge whether the novel is as `diabolical' and `infamous' as its critics have claimed, or whether it has much to tell us about the kind of world we ourselves live in. David Coward's introduction explodes myths about Laclos's own life and puts the book in its literary and cultural context.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #80702 in Books
• Published on: 1998-11-26
• Original language: French
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 448 pages

Dr. Paraic Finnerty, University of Portsmouth.
"The Oxford World's Classic edition offers students an excellent introduction to this classic text and also important notes and chronologies."

Review
The Oxford World's Classic edition offers students an excellent introduction to this classic text and also important notes and chronologies. (Dr. Paraic Finnerty, University of Portsmouth. )

About the Author
Douglas Parmée is Retired Fellow of Queen's College, Cambridge. He is the translator of Nana, Attack on the Mill (Zola) and A Sentimental Journey (Flaubert) for World's Classics. David Coward is Professor of French at the University of Leeds. He is the translator and editor of Maupassant, de Sade, and Dumas in World's Classics.

Customer Reviews

Fantastic!
I am not usually a fan of epistolary novels, but after being captivated by "Cruel Intentions" I decided I had to read the book the film was based on.

All I can say is I was not disappointed. The translation was beautiful, the plot held me spellbound. The characters were compelling and one could not help wishing a little for the Vicomte to succeed in his wicked designs. However what cuts this book above the rest is the collection of letters allows the reader to see events from the perspective of all the characters involved. I would recommend it to anybody.

Aaaaah Laclos
Laclos is great - even if his other book was a complete flop.

This was actually written as a sort of criticism of the times - but it's only serves as a sort of wonderful and detailed novel in which themes of intrigue, love and lust and beautifully interwoven.

Laclos' writing is typical of this period - I'd recommend the translated Penguin one if you're reading it in English...

...Though it flows better in French.

same reviews for 2 different books...
I just wanted to write a review about the Oxford edition of this book and not the penguin classic one, and the same reviews are under both books !?

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I have read the penguin classic version translated by PWK Stone, and I have just read the available pages on here of the Oxford edition, and its really is awful. The way it has been translated is clumsy and ugly, it sounds too modern...wheras the penguin classic version has been modernised but still retains some flavour of 18th century france along with being readable.

I would just suggest to anyone wanting to read this book to read Stones' translation and not touch this one, or at least read the first few pages of each and compare them. If I had started reading the oxford version I think I would never have bothered reading the book.