Light by Henri Barbusse. Translated from the French by Fitzwater Wray (HQ303)

Published 1919: First UK Edition / Hardcover / Very Good Condition

Original red cloth with black titles on the cover and spine. 308 very clean and bright pages, mild speckled edges. Boards slightly rubbed and faded with time and bumped on the corners and spine ends consistent with age but remain firm and intact. Scarce! (HQ303)

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The story unfolds against the backdrop of a working-class town and captures the struggles and aspirations of its inhabitants, including the central character, a clerk named Paulin. The narrative delves into themes such as the weight of daily life, societal class divisions, and the pursuit of hope and love amidst despair. The opening of the novel introduces us to Paulin's humdrum existence as he finishes his workday and traverses through the industrial landscape, encountering various characters along the way, including his aunt Josephine. Their relationship is marred by past conflicts, particularly after a heated exchange that leaves them both in emotional turmoil. The scene effectively sets the tone for the rest of the novel, evoking a sense of melancholy and inertia in Paulin's life as he grapples with the looming realities of familial responsibilities, class consciousness, and his own personal aspirations in a world that feels heavy and indifferent.

Henri Barbusse (1873-1935) was a French novelist and a member of the French Communist Party.

The son of a French father and an English mother, Barbusse was born in Asnières-sur-Seine, France in 1873. Although he grew up in a small town, he left for Paris in 1889 at age 16. In 1914, at the age of 41, he enlisted in the French Army and served against Germany in World War I. Invalided out of the army three times, Barbusse would serve in the war for 17 months, until the end of 1915, when he was permanently moved into a clerical position due to pulmonary damage, exhaustion, and dysentery.

Barbusse first came to fame with the publication of his novel Le Feu (translated as Under Fire) in 1916, which was based on his experiences during World War I. By this time, Barbusse had become a pacifist, and his writing demonstrated his growing hatred of militarism. Le Feu drew criticism at the time for its harsh naturalism, but won the Prix Goncourt.

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