{"product_id":"the-adventures-of-gil-blas-of-santillane-paperback","title":"The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane - Paperback","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eAlain René Le Sage\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eAlexander Pettit\u003c\/b\u003e (Editor), \u003cb\u003eLeslie a. Chilton\u003c\/b\u003e (Editor)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eTobias Smollett, in the preface to his first novel, \u003ci\u003eThe Adventures of Roderick Random \u003c\/i\u003e(1748), acknowledges the influence of Alain Ren  Le Sage's \u003ci\u003eL'Histoire de Gil Blas de Santillane\u003c\/i\u003e (1715-35 in four volumes) on his work. By far the most successful of \"useful and entertaining\" romances, Smollett writes, \u003ci\u003eGil Blas\u003c\/i\u003e describes \"the knavery and foibles of life, with infinite humour and sagacity.\" \"The following sheets,\" he adds significantly, \"I have modeled on his plan.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSmollett's translation of \u003ci\u003eGil Blas\u003c\/i\u003e appeared nine months after the publication of \u003ci\u003eRoderick Random\u003c\/i\u003e. This chronicle of a merry, philosophical young man whose adventures lead him into all levels of society from the highest to the lowest, presents special problems for a translator. Smollett, without always adhering to the literal expression of the novel's language, is true to its style, spirit, and ideas. After two and a half centuries, his remains the finest translation of this humorous, satiric, and classic French novel. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn his early years in London, Smollett struggled to find a way to distinguish himself through his medical practice, medical writings, poetry, and plays. None of these attempts, however, allowed him to demonstrate the full range of his personality and talents. Only when he combined his own boundless imagination with the skills he had learned from translating \u003ci\u003eGil Blas\u003c\/i\u003e was he able to create energetic narratives filled with vivid and original characters.\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlain René Le Sage (Author) \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Alain René Le Sage (1668-1747) was a French novelist and playwright. He is known for his comic novel \u003ci\u003eThe Devil Upon Two Sticks\u003c\/i\u003e, his comedy \u003ci\u003eTurcare\u003c\/i\u003et, and his novel \u003ci\u003eGil Blas\u003c\/i\u003e. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eO M Brack Jr. (Editor) \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e O M BRACK, JR., a professor of English literature emeritus at Arizona State University, is coauthor of \u003ci\u003eSamuel Johnson's Early Biographers\u003c\/i\u003e and coeditor of \u003ci\u003eThe Early Biographies of Samuel Johnson\u003c\/i\u003e. He has edited volumes of the \u003ci\u003eWorks of Samuel Johnson\u003c\/i\u003e published by Yale and is textual editor for the Georgia series the Works of Tobias Smollett. Brack is the curator of the 2009 Johnson tercentenary exhibition at the Huntington Library. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eLeslie A. Chilton (Editor) \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e LESLIE A. CHILTON is a faculty associate in English at Arizona State University. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eAlexander Pettit (Editor) \u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e ALEXANDER PETTIT is an associate professor of English at the University of North Texas. He is also the general editor of three series: The Works of Tobias Smollett (Georgia), British Ideas and Issues, 1660-1820, and Selected Works of Eliza Haywood. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 730\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1.81 x 9 x 6 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e January 15, 2014\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42130390909063,"sku":"9780820346021","price":87.41,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0601\/2623\/2711\/files\/a88f14dacfd1551849acf30ae8780496.webp?v=1732610408","url":"https:\/\/booksby.splitshops.com\/products\/the-adventures-of-gil-blas-of-santillane-paperback","provider":"Books by splitShops","version":"1.0","type":"link"}