Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert

This exquisite novel tells the story of one of the most compelling heroines in modern
literature--Emma Bovary.

"Madame Bovaryhas a perfection that not only stamps it, but that makes it stand almost alone; it holds itself with such a supreme unapproachable assurance as both excites and defies judgement." - Henry James

Unhappily married to a devoted, clumsy provincial doctor,
Emma revolts against the ordinariness of her life by pursuing voluptuous dreams of
ecstasy and love.
But her sensuous and sentimental desires lead her only to suffering
corruption and downfall.
A brilliant psychological portrait, Madame Bovary searingly
depicts the human mind in search of transcendence.
Who is Madame Bovary?
Flaubert's
answer to this question was superb:
"Madame Bovary, c'est moi."
Acclaimed as a
masterpiece upon its publication in 1857, the work catapulted Flaubert to the ranks
of the world's greatest novelists.
This volume, with its fine translation by Lowell
Bair, a perceptive introduction by Leo Bersani, and a complete supplement of essays
and critical comments, is the indispensable Madame Bovary.