À Rebours - Joris-Karl Huysmans
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À Rebours

by
Language
French
Published in
Publisher
EISENBRAUNS
Pages
168
ISBN
9781508589310
Disgusted by the banality of 19th-century bourgeois society and the perceived decay of his aristocratic lineage, Duke Jean des Esseintes, the last scion of a once-powerful family, chooses to withdraw from the world entirely. He retreats to a secluded villa, creating an artificial realm meticulously designed to satisfy his hyper-aesthetic sensibilities and intellectual cravings.

This novel delves into Des Esseintes's inner world, cataloging his elaborate tastes in literature, art, perfumes, and exotic flora, all while he rejects the natural and commonplace. As he pursues ever more refined and unusual sensory experiences, the narrative explores themes of alienation, the limits of aestheticism, and the search for meaning in a reality he finds empty. Readers are invited to witness a singular experiment in living "against the grain," a journey into extreme self-indulgence and the profound implications of turning one's back on the conventional world.

Subjects

Original edition details

Against the Grain Á Rebours Originally published in 1884
Original language
English
Original publisher CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Other editions (226)