Description
Book Synopsis For nearly a century, the work of Belgian crime writer and psychological novelist Georges Simenon, creator of Chief Inspector Maigret, has captivated readers worldwide. This investigation situates Simenon''s work in its historical context and interprets it as a reaction to shifting gender relations in Western society. Simenon''s compelling narratives capture the anxieties of men whose patriarchal position was under threat in an era of insurgent feminist movements.
These concerns are also evident in Simenon''s pervasive preoccupation with sexuality, as well as his political stance that stems from his petit-bourgeois upbringing. This groundbreaking study includes interwoven commentary on all 191 novels Simenon published under his own name, including several that have never been translated into English, as well as a number of short stories and several pseudonymous works.
Table of Contents
- Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Introduction
- Character Types
- 1. The Incredible Shrinking Man
- 2. Virago Intacta
- 3. Fever Pitch
- 4. The Devil's Fiancée
- 5. Return of the Wolf Man
- Interlude
- 6. Laurel and Hardy
- A Fictional World
- 7. Marital Malaise
- 8. The Irruption of Eros
- 9. Beyond the Pale
- 10. The Body Politic
- 11. Colossus
- Conclusion: Envoi
- Appendix: Simenon Translation Titles
- Chapter Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
