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Earthly Paradise: An Autobiography of Colette Drawn from Her Lifetime Writings
by
Colette
,
Robert Phelps
,
Herma Briffault
The place of Colette among twentieth-century French writers of fiction is comparable to that of Proust. But Colette's high and certain rank in literature is determined equally by her autobiographical writings as by her novels: the imaginary characters of Cheri, Gigi, Claudine,
et al
. can only rival, but not excel, Colette's portraits of her family and her extraordinary fri
...more
Paperback
,
540 pages
Published
January 1st 1975
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
(first published 1953)
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Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
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825)
Aug 15, 2007
Arwen
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
students of human nature
Shelves:
comfortbooks
This is one of those books I turn to when I'm out of sorts, to take comfort in Colette's deceptively simple essays about growing up in the countryside in France and the twists and turns her life took after. I'm fondest of the early part, as she writes ode after ode to her mother, a passionate gardener and amateur naturalist, peeling apart the layers of complexity she came to recognize as she grew up. Colette combines an exquisite sense of the natural world with a sometimes cruel, sometimes kind
...more
I checked this book out from the school library which still uses those cards attached to the back cover stamped with due dates. I like seeing the history. Above mine, only two: DEC 05 1995. JUN 12 1992. A forgotten author. On Goodreads, barely 100 ratings.
It's a strange, wonderful book. There's a lot in it. I love the World War II entries. The final Blue Lantern section. Sido and childhood. The descriptions of nature, flowers, the seasons, food. And the portraits, she gives a beautiful one of Pr ...more
It's a strange, wonderful book. There's a lot in it. I love the World War II entries. The final Blue Lantern section. Sido and childhood. The descriptions of nature, flowers, the seasons, food. And the portraits, she gives a beautiful one of Pr ...more
(10/10) Far more than the memoirs of a half-remembered author,
Earthly Paradise
is a collection of memories and experiences that speak to every part of life with both sensual and intellectual brilliance. There's an erotic undercurrent to the most innocent of memories, supplied by Colette's lush prose and teasing hints as to the scandals of her life. And there's no shortage of witticisms, some of which I actually laughed at.
If you're interested in reading an autobiographical modernist narrative t ...more
If you're interested in reading an autobiographical modernist narrative t ...more
I'm going back about 30 years. I'm pretty sure this is the book. I remember the cover. Colette had a fascinating life and I was inspired by it in my early 20's.
Jan 27, 2008
Andrea
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
everyone
Shelves:
all-timefavorites
,
wishilivedinthebook
Arwen and I met a boy named Boris on a train from the coast of Greece into Athens. Boris was a handsome, rakish kind of a lad, and he smoked a cigarette and traveled up and down the train talking to everyone on it. He asked Arwen what she was reading and she was reading Proust. She'd brought Proust on the trip because he was so heavy and chock full that one couldn't possibly finish him even on a six-week trip, so she'd only have to bring the one book. Boris told us that his father had been readi
...more
An assembly of Colette's non-novel writings, Phelps has done a fine job, the best parts are divine, the worst still worth reading. I thoroughly enjoyed this & suspect I'll be back reading Cheri before long.
I've only ever read Colette's short fiction before but have always thought she was a terrific writer and I adored this "autobiography." Essays within not only told about parts of her life, but also include observations on humanity and delightful meditations on such things as wine, cheese, gardening, and other activities I thoroughly enjoy. I have "Night without sleep" marked in the book so that I can return to it over and over again on the moments I'm not feeling especially cynical about love, a
...more
A most lyrical collection of musings by one of France's most admired prose stylists.
Colette's writing is simply exquisite. As are her insights on life, love, sex, theater, flowers, animals, and of course, the incomparable Sido. This is a lesson in the beauty of observation, in poetic prose, in noticing and capturing what's so often overlooked. This is a book to be savored slowly, for the pleasure of language and of reading.
I admit I only read this because it features in Alison Bechdel's Fun Home. Disappointed there's virtually no lesbianism to be found within this 500+ tome - Amalia X on pg 397 is the only mention of dykery. Colette does write well, though, which makes it an enjoyable read.
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A Lovely memoir of Colette; this autobio is an examination of Colette's life. Absolutely beautiful; delicious language. I greatly enjoyed this book
Wonderfully written excepts of Colette's life. Her descriptions of her mother are wonderful.
Even in translation, these are transcendent descriptions of life and nature
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Colette was the pen name of the French novelist Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette. She is best known, at least in the English-speaking world, for her novel
Gigi
, which provided the plot for a Lerner & Loewe musical film and stage musical.
More about Colette...
“The writer who loses his self-doubt, who gives way as he grows old to a sudden euphoria, to prolixity, should stop writing immediately: the time has come for him to lay aside his pen.”
—
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