In which country is the city of Morua. André morois - letters to a stranger

French writer, classic of the biographical novel genre André Maurois; real name - Emil Erzog (Emil Herzog) was born on July 26, 1885 in the town of Elbeuf near Rouen. Maurois came from a wealthy Jewish family from Alsace who converted to Catholicism. After 1871, having received French citizenship, the family moved to Normandy. Father André Maurois owned a textile factory. Andre attended the gymnasium of Elbeuf and Rouen. A significant role in shaping Maurois's views on the world, society, and art was played by his school teacher Emile Chartier, a French philosopher, moralist and writer known as Alain.

In 1897 Maurois entered the Corneille Lyceum in Rouen, after which he entered the University of Cannes. At the same time, he began working at his father's factory, where from 1903 to 1911. served as an administrator.

During the First World War, André Maurois was a liaison officer with the command of the British forces in France and served as a military translator for the British Expeditionary Force. War experiences served as material for the first novels by Maurois "The Silent Colonel Bramble", 1918 and "The Talkative Doctor O'Grady." After the death of his father in 1925, Maurois sold the factory and devoted himself entirely to literary creation. In the 1920s-1930s. André Maurois created a trilogy from the life of English romantics: "Ariel, or the Life of Shelley", "The Life of Disraeli" and "Byron", which was later published under the general title "Romantic England", and released several novels: "Bernard Quesnay", "Vicissitudes love "," Family circle ".

In 1938 André Maurois was elected a member of the French Academy.

When the Second World War began, the writer volunteered for the active army, and after the occupation of France by German troops, he emigrated to the United States. Taught at the University of Kansas. In 1943 he served with the allied forces in North Africa. In 1946 Maurois returned to France.

Maurois had a close bond of friendship with the pilot and writer Antoine Saint-Exupery. In the fall of 1939, both left the Ministry of Information to serve in the army. Fate brought them together again in emigration to the United States, then in Algeria liberated from the Germans.

After returning to his homeland, Maurois published collections of short stories, the book "In Search of Marcel Proust" (A la recherche de Marcel Proust, 1949).

The creative heritage of Maurois is truly enormous - 200 books, more than a thousand articles. Among his works are psychological novels and stories, fantastic novellas and travel essays, biographies of great people and literary portraits, historical works and philosophical essays - "Feelings and Customs", "Paul Verlaine. Caliban, who was Ariel", popular science works - "History of England" and "History of France".

In the early 50s. XX century. published the edition of the collected works of André Maurois in 16 volumes.

French writers are dedicated to literary portraits, which made up four books by André Maurois: "From La Bruyere to Proust" (1964), "From Proust to Camus" (1963), "From Gide to Sartre" (1965), "From Aragon to Montherlant" (1967) ).

In 1956, La Genes Parc Publishing House published Letters to a Stranger in Paris. They appeared in Russian in 1974 in an abridged form in the journal "Foreign Literature".

But, above all, Maurois is a master of the biographical genre, where, on the basis of accurate documentation, he draws living images of great people. He won worldwide fame with his biographical works "Byron" (1930), "Turgenev" (1931), "Lelia, or the Life of George Sand" (Lelia ou la Vie de George Sand, 1952), "Olympio, or the Life of Victor Hugo", " Three Dumas "," The Life of Alexander Fleming "(1959).

In the year of his 80th birthday, Maurois wrote his last biographical work "Prometheus, or the Life of Balzac".

In 1970, a book by André Maurois "Memoirs" was published in France, in which the writer spoke about his life, about his meetings with such great contemporaries as Roosevelt and Churchill, de Gaulle and Clemenceau, Kipling and Saint-Exupery.

Many of the writer's works have been translated into Russian, including The Vicissitudes of Love, The Family Circle, The Life of Alexander Fleming, The Career of Disraeli, Byron, Olympio, or The Life of Victor Hugo, The Three Dumas, "Prometheus, or the Life of Balzac" and others.

In the sixties, Maurois readily appeared in the pages of the Soviet press. He established friendly relations with Soviet writers.

Maurois was a member of a number of public organizations, collaborated in democratic publications. He signed protests of cultural figures against the arrests of Mexican artist David Siqueiros, Greek poet Yannis Ritsos.

André Maurois has been married twice. After the death of his first wife, Janina de Szimkievik, he married Simone de Caive, niece of Marcel Proust.

The participant of the First and Second World Wars, André Maurois, before whose eyes the tragic events of the first half of the twentieth century took place, in an incomprehensible way managed to preserve a spark of good irony in his work. The subtle humor and psychological nature of his stories attract the reader to this day.

The second visiting card of the French author is biographical prose. While contemporaries wrote about the lost generation and the tragedy of life, Maurois looked for the sources of inner strength capable of overcoming the catastrophes of the 20th century in the life stories of writers and thinkers of the past.

Childhood and youth

The future author of biographies and books on national history was born in 1885 in the small French town of Elbeuf in Normandy. His parents - a Jewish couple named Erzog who converted to Catholicism - moved to the northwest of France a decade and a half before the birth of their son. Before that, the family lived in Alsace, but after Germany annexed the land following the results of the Franco-Prussian war in 1871, it was decided to remain French subjects and move to the West.

Emil's father, Ernest Erzog, and his paternal grandfather owned a textile factory in Alsace. Thanks to their efforts, not only the family of the owner of the enterprise, but also most of the workers moved to Normandy. The government awarded the grandfather of the writer the Order of the French Legion for the salvation of the national industry.

By the time the boy was born, the family's well-being had improved. At baptism, the child was named Emil Salomon Wilhelm. With the beginning of his writing career, the pseudonym André Maurois was fixed as a real name. He received his primary education at the Elbeuf gymnasium, and at the age of 12 he entered the Rouen Lyceum of Pierre Corneille. After 4 years he was awarded a licentiate degree.

Despite his potential, Emil got a job as an administrator at his father's factory. According to some reports, the advice to leave his studies was given to him by the teacher of the Lyceum Emile Chartier, who published philosophical works under the pseudonym Alain. Chartier's views influenced the student's worldview. However, Erzog entered the University of Cannes.

Emil was 29 years old when the First World War began. Three years before that, he left his job at the factory and tried to decide on a profession. Erzog serves as a liaison officer at the English headquarters in France during the battles and provides translation services to the British Expeditionary Force. The experience he gained is later reflected in his debut work, the novel The Silence of Colonel Bramble.

Literature

The hero of the first novel by Andre Maurois turns out to be close to the inhabitants of all countries that fought with Germany. The book brings the debutant recognition not only in France, but also in the USA and Great Britain. In 1922, the second novel, The Speeches of Dr. O'Grady, was published, which also proved to be successful. Maurois is convinced of the choice of literary activity.

The author gets a job in the magazine "Croix-de-feu", and after the death of his father, he sells the enterprise. During these years he collected material for the first biographical trilogy. In 1923 "Ariel, or Shelley's Life" was published, four years later - a book about British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, and in 1930 - a biography. This series, later titled Romantic England, solidified the author's popularity in the UK.

In parallel with work on biographies, Maurois publishes novels. Released in 1926, "Bernard Quesnay" tells the story of a young WWI veteran who, being gifted in art, must work against his will in a family factory. It is not difficult to trace the autobiography of the plot.

In 1938, 53-year-old Maurois received special recognition - he was elected a member of the French Academy. The institution studies the national language and takes care of preserving its literary norm, including through the presentation of about 60 annual awards to writers.

The literary work of André Maurois was interrupted by the tragedy of the Second World War. The writer again volunteers and serves as a captain. When the Nazis manage to occupy France, he leaves for the United States and teaches for some time at the University of Kansas. However, in 1943, Maurois, along with the soldiers of the Allied troops, enters North Africa. Here and earlier in exile, he meets his friend, a military pilot, the writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery.

Morua returned to his homeland in 1946. Here he publishes collections of short stories, which includes the Hotel Thanatos, and writes a new biography - In Search of Marcel Proust. During this period, he changes documents, and the pseudonym becomes his real name. In 1947, the History of France appeared - the first in a series of books on the history of states. He also turned to the history of Great Britain, the USA and other countries.

In the early 50s, a collection of his works was published: the texts occupy 16 volumes. In the same years, the elegant, full of humor "Letters to a Stranger" were published. Maurois continues to work on biographies. He is even interested in Alexander Fleming, who created penicillin. The book of Fr. The author created it at the age of 79.

In the last decade of Maurois's life, his articles were often published in Soviet newspapers. As RIA Novosti writes, the writer was friends with many Soviet writers. In France he collaborated with various democratic publications. It is known that Maurois left his signature under the protest of public figures against the arrest of the Mexican painter David Siqueiros.

Maurois's own biography was published in 1970, after the death of the author, under the uncomplicated title "Memoirs". It contains all the backstage of creative life, scenes of meetings and informal conversations with politicians, philosophers, and writers. The literary heritage of the French author includes two hundred books and over a thousand articles. Maurois aphorisms and sayings are widely known, for example:

"The time spent with a woman cannot be called lost."

Personal life

Morua's biography includes two marriages. At the age of 28, he married Jeanne-Marie Shimkevich. The wife gave him two sons, Gerald and Olivier, and a daughter, Michelle. When the writer was 39 years old, his wife died. The cause of death was sepsis.

The second marriage was concluded with Simon Kayave, a relative. For some time, the couple lived separately from each other, while Simon was aware that her husband had extramarital affairs. Maurois and Kaiawe had no children.

Death

André Maurois passed away on October 9, 1967. At this time, he lived in the territory of Neuilly-sur-Seine - a commune adjacent to the capital of France in the west.

The grave of the writer is located at the local cemetery. The body of Anatole France, cinematographer Rene Clair, symbolist painter Puvis de Chavannes, also rests here.

Bibliography

• The Silence of Colonel Bramble
• The novel "Speeches of Dr. O'Grady"
• Ariel, or Shelley's Life
• The novel "The Life of Disraeli"
• Roman "Byron"
• Novella "Letters to a Stranger"
• Collection "Violets on Wednesdays"
• The novel "Bernard Quene"
• The novel "The Vicissitudes of Love"
• Essay "Feelings and Customs"
• "History of France"
• "History of England"
• "Olympio, or the Life of Victor Hugo"
• "Three Dumas"
• "Prometheus, or the Life of Balzac"
• "Memoirs / Memories"

Quotes

Schoolmates are better educators than parents, for they are ruthless.

Two of the worst inventions in human history date back to the Middle Ages: romantic love and cannon powder.

The art of aging is to be a support for the young, not an obstacle, a teacher, not a rival, understanding, not indifferent.

There is no enemy more cruel than a former friend.

Do a small thing, but master it perfectly and treat it as a great thing.

The real name of the person whom readers around the world know as André Maurois is Emil Solomon Wilhelm Erzog. This is a famous French writer, literary critic, historian; he is recognized as the consummate master of writing biographies of famous people in the form of a novel. The creative pseudonym after some time turned into his official name.

Maurois was born in Elpheb, a town near Rouen, on July 26, 1885. His family were Alsatian Jews who converted to the Catholic faith, who moved to Normandy after 1871 and became French subjects. In 1897, Andre was a student at the Rouen Lyceum, at the age of 16 he became the holder of a licentiate degree. After completing his studies at the Lyceum, he enters the University of Cannes. Almost at the same time, his career began: the young man got a job at his father's factory and worked there as an administrator during 1903-1911.

When World War I broke out, André Maurois took part in hostilities as a liaison officer and military translator. The impressions received during the war helped Maurois try his hand at the literary field and became the basis for his first novel, The Silent Colonel Bramble. After its publication in 1918, Maurois learns what success is, and his fame immediately went beyond the borders of his native country, the work was warmly received in Great Britain and America.

After the end of the war, André Maurois worked at the editorial office of the Croix-de-feu magazine. Inspired by the success of his first novel, the aspiring writer dreamed not of a career in a magazine, but of a professional career in literature. Already in 1921, his new novel, Speeches of Dr. O'Grady, was published. When his father died, Maurois, having sold the production, from 1925 devoted all his efforts to the creation of literary works. During the 20-30s. he wrote a trilogy about the life of the famous English representatives of romanticism - Shelley, Disraeli and Byron. He also wrote a number of other novels. On June 23, 1938, a significant event took place in the life of Maurois: his literary merits were recognized by his election to the French Academy.

When the Second World War began, the writer volunteered for the active French army, served with the rank of captain; then he was 54 years old. When France was occupied by Nazi troops, Maurois moved to the United States, where he worked as a teacher at the University of Kansas. 1943 was marked by the departure to North Africa; he returned to his homeland in 1946. During this period, Maurois wrote the book "In Search of Marcel Proust" (1949), collections of short stories.

The writer worked to a ripe old age. In the year of his 80th birthday, he wrote a novel, which became the last in a series of biographical works - "Prometheus, or the Life of Balzac" (1965). Just a few days before his death, the last point was put in his memoirs.

The contribution of André Maurois to national literature is truly great - two hundred books, as well as over a thousand articles. He was a multi-genre writer, from under his pen came out not only the biographies of great people who glorified him, but also fantastic short stories, psychological stories, novels, philosophical essays, historical works, and popular science works. Maurois was elected Honorary Doctor of Oxford and Edinburgh Universities, was a Knight of the Legion of Honor (1937). The writer also led a fairly active social life, was a member of several public organizations, collaborated with publications of a democratic orientation.

Death overtook Andre Maurois in his own house, located in one of the suburbs of Paris, on October 9, 1967.

André Maurois (Fr.André Maurois, real name Emile Salomon Wilhelm Erzog, Émile-Salomon-Wilhelm Herzog, 1885-1967), French writer and member of the French Academy. Subsequently, the pseudonym became his official name.

Master of the genre of romanized biography (books about Shelley, Turgenev, Dumas-father and Dumas-son) and a short ironic psychological story.

Among the main works of Maurois - the psychological novels "The Vicissitudes of Love" (1928), "Family Circle" (1932), the book "Memoirs" (published in 1970) and embodied all the charm of the subtle, ironic talent of the writer "Letters to a Stranger" ("Lettres à l'inconnue ", 1956).

He came from a wealthy family of Jews from Alsace who converted to Catholicism, who after 1871 chose French citizenship and moved to Normandy. In 1897, Emil Erzog entered the Rouen Lyceum.

At the age of sixteen he was awarded a licentiate degree. On the advice of one of his teachers, Emile Chartier, after completing the course, instead of continuing his studies at Ecole Normal, he entered his father's cloth factory as an employee. During the First World War he served as a military translator and liaison officer.

In 1921, the novel Discours du docteur O'Grady was published. After the war, he worked as an editorial staff member for the magazine "Croix-de-feu". On June 23, 1938, he was elected to the French Academy.

Member of the French Resistance.

During World War II, Maurois served as a captain in the French army.

Recognized as the consummate author of biographies. But the literary activity of the French writer is very rich and versatile. He penned biographical novels and psychological stories, love novels and travel essays, philosophical essays and science fiction stories. But no matter what genre his books belong to, the harmony of the language of the writer Maurois, clarity of thought, perfection of style, subtle irony and fascinating narrative will forever captivate readers.

Biography of the writer

Emile Erzog, known to readers as Andre Maurois, was born into a family of industrialists in Normandy, near Rouen, in 1885. His father was the owner of a textile factory, where Andre himself later worked as an administrator. The writer's childhood was serene: wealthy parents, friendly family, respect and attention from adults. Later, the author wrote that it was this that formed in him tolerance for the opinions of others, a sense of personal and civic duty.

As a child, he read a lot. His love for Russian writers is especially noted, which did not fade away until the last days of his life. He first began to write at the Rouen Lyceum, where he studied since 1897. Among the teachers of the future writer Maurois was the philosopher Alain, who had a significant impact on the youth's worldview. After receiving his licentiate degree, Andre still preferred the family business to study, which he had been doing for about ten years. After the death of his father, Maurois refused to run the family business and devoted himself entirely to his literary career.

Years of war

During the First World War, the French writer Maurois served as a liaison officer, after which he worked in the editorial office of the Croix-de-Feu magazine. Maurois participated in and at the beginning of World War II served in the French army. Thanks to the connections of his second wife, in particular Marshal Pétain, in 1938 Maurois was elected chairman of the prestigious French Academy and held this chair for almost thirty years.

After the Nazi occupation of France, he moved with his family to the United States, returning to his home country in 1946. In 1947, the writer legalized his pseudonym. He died in the suburbs of Paris and is buried in the Neuilly-sur-Seine cemetery.

Personal life

In 1909, in Geneva, the writer André Maurois met the daughter of the Polish Count Zhanna Shimkiewicz, who became his first wife and mother of his two sons and daughter Michelle. The daughter became a writer, she wrote a trilogy based on many family letters. In 1918, Janine, the writer's wife, suffered a nervous breakdown, and in 1924 she died of sepsis.

In the autumn of the same year, after the publication of the book Dialogues sur le commandement, he was invited to dinner by Marshal Pétain. Here the writer meets Simone de Kailavette, the daughter of the playwright Gaston Armand and the granddaughter of Madame Armand, the owner of a fashionable literary salon and the muse of the writer Anatole France. Simone and Andre's wedding took place in 1926.

Literary heritage

French writer André Maurois left a rich literary legacy. Despite the fact that he began to write quite early, he published his short stories only in 1935. Maurois collected them in the book "First Stories". It also includes the short story "The Birth of a Celebrity", written by the writer in 1919. The difference between the semi-children's stories and this novella is striking.

He published his first book, The Silence of Colonel Bramble, based on his memories of the First World War, in 1918. Maurois was very demanding of himself, which partly explains the success that brought his first novel. It is difficult to name a genre to which the writer would remain indifferent. His legacy includes historical research, romanized biographies, sociological essays, stories for children, psychological novels and literary essays.

Books by André Maurois

Memories and experiences from the First World War formed the basis of two books by the writer Maurois: The Silence of Colonel Bramble, published in 1918, and Speeches of Dr. O'Grady, published in 1921. In the postwar years, the writer creates psychological novels:

• in 1926 "Bernard Quesnay" was published;
• in 1928, The Vicissitudes of Love were published;
• in 1932, the Family Circle saw the light;
• in 1934 - "Letters to a Stranger";
• in 1946 - a collection of stories "The Promised Land";
• in 1956 - "September Roses".

Peru belongs to the writer trilogy of the life of the English romantics, later published under the general title "Romantic England". It included: the book "Ariel" published in 1923, in 1927 and 1930, respectively, "The Life of Disraeli" and "Byron". Literary portraits of French writers have made up four books:

• 1964 - "From La Bruyere to Proust";
• 1963 - "From Proust to Camus";
• 1965 - "From Gide to Sartre";
• 1967 - "From Aragon to Montherland".

A master of the biographical genre, Maurois is the author of books about great people, in which, based on accurate biographical data, he draws their living images:

• 1930 - Byron;
• 1931 - Turgenev;
• 1935 - Voltaire;
• 1937 - Edward VII;
• 1938 - Chateaubriand;
• 1949 - Marcel Proust;
• 1952 - Georges Sand;
• 1955 - Victor Hugo;
• 1957 - Three Dumas;
• 1959 - Alexander Fleming;
• 1961 - The Life of Madame de Lafayette;
• 1965 - Balzac.

The writer Maurois is the author of scientific and journalistic books: this is "History of England", published in 1937, "History of the United States" was published in 1943, "History of France" in 1947. The writer's creative heritage is huge: he owns more than two hundred books and thousands of articles. Collected works of the writer were published in the early 50s in sixteen volumes.

The indisputable quality of André Maurois as a writer is a refined psychologism, which is clearly manifested in his works. I would like to finish the article with words that sound like a behest to contemporaries: “The artist is obliged to make such an incomprehensible real world understandable. Readers are looking for high spiritual values ​​and new powers in books. Our duty is to help the reader see a HUMANITY in every person. "