{"product_id":"the-civilized-decadence-and-damnation-in-french-indochina-9781934431757","title":"The Civilized - Decadence and Damnation in French Indochina","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn 1905, the prestigious Prix Goncourt judges awarded the prize to a novel by then-unknown French naval officer, Claude Farrère. Their decision ignited furious debates in literary circles. Set in colonial Saigon, The Civilized exposed the dark underbelly of France's \"civilizing mission\" through a graphic tale of addiction, adultery, desire, debauchery, and moral decay. While outraging the establishment, the book captivated readers worldwide. Controversy only fueled the book's success: within six years, The Civilized saw 55 printings, followed by nearly 100 more in eight languages.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e***\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow, 120 years later, DatAsia Press presents the first English-language edition of Farrère's provocative masterwork about moral decay festering at the Empire's edge and featuring Henri LeRiche's stunning 1926 illustrations.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAn eloquent foreword by distinguished University of Nantes professor Henri Copin and Editor Kent Davis establishes modern context for the nuanced literary translation by Pedro Rodríguez that brings the author's prose to life.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExtensive annotations illuminate the novel's early-20th century colonial setting, along with maps, details of the Goncourt Prize judges, and an analysis of contemporary reviews revealing why this daring exposé of the colonial dark side remains as relevant today as when it first scandalized Belle Époque France.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eFarrère, Claude:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Claude Farrère (1876-1957), born Frédéric-Charles Bargone, was a prominent and remarkably prolific French author whose life seamlessly blended naval service with literary creation. A career officer in the French Navy, his extensive travels across the globe, particularly in the Far East and the Ottoman Empire, provided rich, firsthand material for his numerous works.He burst onto the literary scene by winning the prestigious Prix Goncourt in 1905 for his novel Les Civilisés, a portrayal of French colonial life in Saigon. Farrère's writing is often characterized by its evocative descriptions of exotic locales, explorations of naval life, adventure, and a fascination with different cultures, though sometimes viewed through a lens reflecting the colonial attitudes of his time.His vast output included dozens of novels, short stories, essays, and travelogues. His significant contribution to French letters was formally recognized with his election to the Académie Française in 1935. Farrère remains a notable figure for his ability to transport readers to distant lands and seas through his vivid, experience-infused prose.\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eDavis, Kent:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \"After working and traveling extensively in Southeast Asia since 1990, Davis and his wife Sophaphan founded DatAsia Press in 2005. Since then, Davis has worked as chief editor, translator, and independent scholar pursuing his passion as a literary archaeologist, discovering extraordinary books that have slipped into obscurity and become lost over time.As a publisher, Davis restores the reputations and classic works of forgotten authors who made noteworthy literary contributions, - both fiction and non-fiction, - by reviving out-of-print books as expanded modern editions with added academic analysis, supplemental materials, illustrations, and original modern translations. The Civilized is a perfect example of Davis's craft.\"\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eCopin, Henri:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - Born in Vietnam in 1945, Copin spent his childhood and adolescence in French Indochina. After receiving his PhD in 1994 at the Sorbonne, Paris, he taught in Senegal and France. In 1996, L'Harmattan published his thesis in 1996 under the title L'Indochine dans la littérature française des années vingt à 1954: exotisme et altérité. Presently he is a professor and lecturer at the Permanent University of Nantes, and an elected member of the Literary Academy of Brittany and the Pays de la Loire.As an expert on the literature of French Indochina, Copin has contributed numerous forewords to DatAsia Press, including their translated works of George Groslier: The Road of the Strong, Return to Clay, and Water and Light.","brand":"DatASIA, Inc.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51589714149650,"sku":"9781934431757","price":28.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_729edf1b-c2ad-4382-912b-9e57c5cec83c.jpg?v=1756802851","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-civilized-decadence-and-damnation-in-french-indochina-9781934431757","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}