Disappearance of Emile Zola: Love, Literature and the Dreyfus Case

Émile Zola was a novelist who fled to London to avoid a libel sentence, living in the suburbs and struggling with his private life while trying to write a novel.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 04 January 2018
Publisher: Faber & Faber

Émile Zola, a renowned novelist, faced a severe consequence when he was pronounced guilty of libel and sentenced to a year in prison. This conviction stemmed from his defense of a wrongly convicted man in the highly controversial Dreyfus Affair. With only a few hours to spare, Zola fled the French state, seeking refuge in the suburbs of south London. However, his escape was not without its challenges as he found himself unable to communicate in English, a language unfamiliar to him. In this captivating narrative, Michael Rosen vividly portrays the tranquil atmosphere of late Victorian suburbia, the tumultuous politics of the time, and the intricate personal life of Zola. Driven by a relentless desire to write a novel, Zola simultaneously navigated the delicate balance between his two women: one, the mother of his children, and the other, his wife. The Disappearance of Émile Zola is a remarkable testament to the writer's unwavering courage and determination in the face of the most significant political scandal of his era.

Weight: 266g
Dimension: 131 x 198 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780571312023
Edition number: Main