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: #358553 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

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.

"Neither be cynical about love...."
In spite of this being the second time of reading, and having seen two versions of the film, I still burnt the candle at both ends to finish this.

Tension builds up as two jaded and cynical ex-lovers in eighteenth century France, Valmont and the Marquise de Merteuil, plot and scheme with selfishness and cruelty to seduce others for their gratification or revenge. The Marquise is incensed when Valmont falls in love, in spite of himself, with a virtuous married woman, but by plotting the downfall of her rival the Marquise brings about an ultimate all-round destruction.

Don't be put off by the fact the book consists entirely of letters. It works perfectly, and the psychological depth of each of the characters is astonishing, particularly the understanding Laclos has of the rivalries between and amongst the sexes. I almost pitied Valmont who realised too late the value of what he had lost, and the unworthiness of her he had made the sacrifice for. I kept thinking of these words from Desiderata: "neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass." Too late, he laments "we are only happy through love."

However I would not particularly recommend this, my 1924 translation and introduction. I am sure it has since been improved.

Great book - shame about the introduction
Having been an ardent fan of the film since it's first release I thought it was about time I read the real thing. I chose this as one translation should be good as another. While I can't comment on the quality of the translation (having nothing to compare it to) the one thing that stops an otherwise excellent book is the droning introduction.

Richard Adlington seems to have an axe to grind. In his haste to do this he manages at times to contradict himself in places within the space of 2 pages. Rather than just giving an historically accurate picture of Laclos he seems to take great joy in trying to rubbish everything that has been written about Laclos prior to this book. While this may be targetted at students with a particular interest in the life of Laclos, I just found his incessant rebukes irriatating.

The second and probably more irrating issue is the continual use of phrases in French throughout the introduction without translation. Surprisingly, I bought a translation because my French is not fluent. By all means put the phrases in French, but at least have the common sense to put the translation in given the whole point of the book is that it is a translation.

If it wasn't for these 2 issues with the introduction I would have given it 5 stars. If Richard wants to write a book on Laclos and get his point of view across then he should do it and not spoil what is an otherwise brilliant and captivating read.

My advice - if you don't have to read the introduction then skip it and go straight into the writings of Laclos.