Track Section Duration
1 01 - Boule de Suif - Part 1 40:49
2 02 - Boule de Suif - Part 2 28:47
3 03 - Boule de Suif - Part 3 34:21

Production
Book Coordinator: Bob Neufeld
Meta Coordinator: Elizabeth Klett
Proof Listener: Sue Anderson

Artwork
Cover: Illustration from Boule de Suif by Guy de Maupassant, Ollendorf, 1907
Cover background: Series " Villes De France, Paris VIII " 952. Oilette postcard view of Paris ' Gare Du Nord Station. Leonard A. Lauder collection of Raphael Tuck & Sons postcards.
Inset: Title page from Boule de Suif : and other stories, 1922, London; New York: Standard Book
Inset: Photo of Guy de Maupassant by Félix Nadar, 1888
Insert: Illustration from Boule de suif, pièce en trois actes et quatre tableaux tirée de la nouvelle de Guy de Maupassant, 1903, by Méténier, Oscar, 1859-1913; Maupassant, Guy de, 1850-1893


“Boule de Suif” is one of the first short stories by Guy de Maupassant and possibly the most famous. The title phrase, which can be translated as “Dumpling”, “Butterball”,or “Ball of Fat”, is the name given to the title character, a prostitute by the name of Elisabeth Rousset.  The story takes place during the Franco-Prussian War and concerns a group of ten residents of the French city of Rouen who have taken a carriage to flee the city for Le Havre shortly after its occupation by the Prussian army.  The group represents a cross-section of French society: Ms. Rousset; a government official; a petty bourgeoisie shop-keeper couple; a wealthy factory owner and his wife; the Comte and Comtesse of Breville, and two nuns. A bad storm makes for slow going, and the travelers give the lady of the evening the cold shoulder until she produces a picnic basket and offers to share her food. They put up at an inn the village of Totes only to discover they have stumbled into Prussian-held territory and are detained by an officer without explanation.After two testy days they learn from the Boule de Suif that the detention will continue until she agrees to sleep with the officer, which she has refused to do. Initially supportive of her, the travelers’ patience dissolves over the next two days and they convince her to relent. She agrees and consorts with the officer, and they are allowed to leave the next morning.  En route to Le Havre the paragons of virtue refuse to engage with her and decline to share their food. No good deed goes unpunished.


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Item Info
EAN - DVD case 0701236969917
EAN - CD jacket 0682550992433
Media MP3 CD
Package DVD box
Author Guy de Maupassant (1850 - 1893)
Translator Albert M. Cohn McMaster
Recording
Read by Bob Neufeld
Length 1 hour and 44 minutes
Type of Reading Solo

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Boule de Suif

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Available Options

(SKU DB-6004) (EAN 0701236969917 )
(SKU CJ-6004) (EAN 0682550992433 )
(SKU CD-6004)
(SKU DL-6004)

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