The Red and the Black (Penguin Classics)

This novel has everything: political intrigue, the psychological detail of detective work, the ambiguity of love and romance; it's a comedy of manners, but also a saga of helplessness and tragedy, incisive social commentary. Published in 1830, The Red and The Black, is timeless: its relevance to contemporary Westernized or Americanized, bureaucratic, and capitalist-developed nations is both a condemnation and a triumph. The Red and the Black first caught my attention 25 years ago in January 1983; a stack of copies were set out on a table in the Tattered Cover Bookshop, Denver (then on 1st Avenue in the Cherry Creek area). At that time, the Penguin edition was a new translation to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the birth of the author, Henri-Marie Beyle, January 23, 1783. I don't know how or why I decided to buy a copy; maybe it had something to do with the brief review on the back cover, which was perhaps then as it is now: "Handsome, ambitious Julien Sorel is determined to rise above his humble provincial origins." Maybe I saw something of Julien in myself, or maybe like Mathilde de la Mole, I was looking for a life outside the script dictated by parents and society, or trying to find a world beyond materialism and utilitarianism, something inspirational and possibly Romantic. It was with this novel that I first realized that a writer could communicate intimately across centuries; I fell in love with Stendhal. I wanted to know about his life. He wrote with integrity; he wrote what he knew to be true about life, and he did not let the marketplace dictate what he should write. Beyle was a human being first, then a writer. In January 1983, as now in January 2008, reading The Red and the Black, I am astounded with the author's ability to move smoothly from the character's interior thoughts into action or landscape while encompassing his characters in their political/social matrix. Whether in a high-society drawing room or in the stillness of night, Stendhal gave his work movement, dynamism. There is something uncanny about the author's ability to draw characters like Madame de Renal and her husband, a small-town merchant, politician, religious hypocrite. It is the Renals of the world who have the power to destroy the Romantically inspired Juliens and Mathildes, and yet a market-driven nation doesn't seem to function without the Renals. An unusual but appropriate companion reading to Stendhal's work might be Tocqueville's Democracy in America; volume one published in 1835.

This book has been on my list for about 50 years. The French novel it reminded me of most is Flaubert’s SENTIMENTAL EDUCATION. Both concern ambitious, yet basically foolish, young men who dream of joining a higher social caste and leading a life of romantic intrigue. THE RED AND THE BLACK’s youthful protagonist is Julien Sorel, son of a carpenter, whose gift for Latin and his prodigious memory are recognized at an early age and lead to his being groomed for the clergy. He is a nice young man with enormous potential. He becomes a sought-after tutor among the bourgeoisie. His natural charm and good looks take him a long way up the social ladder. He learns how to seduce women of high society. However, his youthful arrogance and ignorance of just how the social caste system works lead to his downfall. I found it quite entertaining and remarkably cinematic in the way a scene would sometimes “dissolve” into the next scene. It’s a long book, but I found it fast moving. FOUR STARS

Stendhal concludes this tale with a dedication: TO THE HAPPY FEW. After we read about Julien Sorel, the protagonist, and the people he encounters, it is an apt way to finish the book because what is missing from the story is happiness. The few times it happens, it is always conditional. Even when Julien experiences love, he is overwhelmed by feelings of triumph, not passion. Because this classic was written in 1830, today’s readers can be forgiven if some of the plot lines, psychological exposition, obvious use of foreshadowing and characters seem a bit familiar. It is easy to envision a young Theodore Dreiser, Erich Maria Remarque, Saul Bellow or Willa Cather holed up in a corner devouring every word as it sowed the seeds for their writing (I found so many parallels with An American Tragedy and Augie March). Stendhal’s story delves deeply into a particular society in a unique period of history. Julien indeed feels a bit lost; he would rather have been marching with his hero Napoleon in an earlier time. At times it seems tedious, which Stendhal comically acknowledges: “The total boredom of the life led by Julien, without real interests, will no doubt be shared by the reader. These are the flatlands of our journey.” Yet the journey takes us to a conclusion that has a lasting effect. I doubt it can be forgotten by anyone once read. Like training for a long race, it makes all the toil that came before it more enjoyable and relevant. I can better understand why, in life, there are but a happy few.

“He would then dream with gusto of being presented one day to the pretty women of Paris. He would manage to attract their attention by some dazzling feat…” The first time we meet Julien Sorel he is modestly reading a novel that promptly gets swiped out of his hands by his surly, brash father. Julien, living as an outcast of sorts under his own family roof, wants to make a name for himself, be someone, get somewhere in the world and life and move up to become an impressive member of society. Yes, Julien has great, lofty motivations and expectations to rise up in station and status, but how? And at what price? This novel purports to be a psychological character study and a scathing satire and, while both of the elements are present at some point, the novel does not stick to either. The novel feels not humorous enough to be effectively satirical nor serious enough to be an effective psychological study or commentary. In fact, while I did find some of the satire entertaining, overall, this book is just so clunky and uneven and, at points, a major slog to get through (especially in book two). “…everyone for himself in this descent of selfishness which is called life.” – Julien Sorel. This is an apt quote for our protagonist, and it, along with his hero-worship of Napoleon, becomes a blueprint of life for him. So, with ambitions abounding, Julien first gets a gig as a tutor, and when Madame de Renal enters the picture, the wife of his employer, it sets a series of scandals in place amid Julien’s hopes. I’m not sure if it was a translation issue (I had to change translations multiple times, but none worked effectively), but this book just feels so off centered. Julien’s motivations are all over the place, and fickle as the wind, as they change course and bounce back and forth quite often. I suppose that this was all part of the “red” and the “black” and the two diverging courses, but it is carried out in a way that is ridiculously overindulgent and melodramatic. I felt more invested in Book 1 as opposed to Book 2, where the novel devolves into a gigantic, endless soap opera. For it is in the second half where the reader is overburdened with an abundance of French society intricacies and politics and social mores and where the novel moves at a glacial pace while we await the inevitable. (It feels like about one hundred pages of the novel could have been trimmed). I also found it odd that for a book so meticulously detailed to a fault about so many trivial matters that a key event in the second half near the novel’s conclusion happens in the blink of an eye without hardly any build up. Anyhow, overall, I thought the historical aspects of the novel were interesting, but I couldn’t say the same for the story, which was just mediocre overall and overstays its welcome. I can see what the author was striving for in his critiques of his day, but it feels very cynical and was only mildly interesting. It’s good to have finally gotten to this classic, but it’s even better to know that I’ve finished the final page.

I won't even pretend to be original on my review. I am afraid I will repeat the praises people have sung to this book in years. "The Red and The Black" is a masterful classic piece. The story of "rags to riches" and "riches to madness", even though placed in after-Napoleonic, pre-revolutionary France, sounds so coherent for all Western world present day Julien Soriels. And by God, I see them everywhere. Any youngster with ambition and drive can find a little bit of Julien Soriel in him. Philosophically speaking, Stendhal completes a magnificent analysis of the early nineteenth century French society. His observations on human nature, delivered through our main hero, hold their value and can be applied to our present day egocentric society. How could one not draw parallels to the present day "red" (current ruling political class in the US) and "black" (the oh-so-mischievous religious right). The similarities are frightening. Excellent example of the "Plus ca change..." "The Red and the Black" is truly gold, but you have to sort through a lot of old-fashion archaic expressionism to get the best out of the novel. I will highly recommend this book to all men. Read it slowly and savor every bit of it. You will feel a more complete person when you finish it. At least, I do!

Did not expect a love story so tragic and engaging when I picked up this classic. Well-written with characters acting upon misunderstanding each other’s true motives and feelings, hidden by decorum and poorly made assumptions, while also misunderstanding what their own hearts truly ever wanted.

I have read this book twice--once in English, and then once in the original French (which by the way is not that difficult if you have a couple years of college French behind you). It is a brilliant sociological and cultural history of France during the restoration of Louis XVIII. The French revolution and Napoleon are behind us, and yet the ancient regime hasn't quite been restored. Julien Sorel is a peasant with ambitions to vault to the top of society, which now--after all those upheavals--is just barely possible because...he is irresistible to women and knows it. It is a cynical book but full of entertaining moments. How one wishes one could have known Stendhal personally to discuss this book with him. It is worth several readings. Start now!

First off, I am a great fan of Balzac, Zola and 19th century French literature in general. This was my first and probably will be my only Stendhal book. The characters in this book were too inconsistent in their thought patterns and behavior for me to appreciate. I could find nothing lovable about Julien, and could find no reason for these two women to love him, even putting themselves at such great risk to do so. Also, I found that the sentimentality in the tears, the collapsing, the wringing of hands and worst of all in the ladder rendezvous, was just overbearing, overdone and ridiculous. In addition, I saw no inspired intellect in Julien. I found him to be a foolish young boy with very little worldly knowledge, who hid his own self doubt behind a mask of pride and haughtiness. Even though the translation read smoothly, I suffered through it and did not enjoy it.