author
Abel Hermant
1862–1950
A prolific French man of letters, he wrote novels, plays, essays, and journalism with polished wit and a keen eye for society. His career brought both high literary honors and a deeply controversial fall late in life.
1 Audiobook
Les Confidences d'une Biche, 1859-1871
by Abel Hermant
About the author
Born in Paris on February 3, 1862, Abel Hermant became a well-known French novelist, playwright, essayist, and journalist. He was educated at the École Normale Supérieure and built an unusually wide-ranging career, publishing a large body of fiction and criticism while also writing for major newspapers.
Hermant was elected to the Académie française in 1927, a sign of the esteem he enjoyed in French literary life. His work often focused on manners, society, and character, and he developed a reputation for elegant, clear prose.
That reputation was later overshadowed by his conduct during the German occupation of France. After World War II, he was convicted for collaboration and excluded from the Académie française. He died in Chantilly in 1950.