author
Camille Debans
1832–1919
A French journalist and popular novelist, he wrote lively stories for a wide readership and moved easily between fiction, satire, and practical guides to Paris. His eventful life included a brief prison term after a duel in the 1850s, adding an unusual twist to a long literary career.
1 Audiobook
Catherine's coquetries : A tale of French country life
by Camille Debans
About the author
Born Jean Debans in Caudéran on May 10, 1832, Camille Debans became a French journalist and popular novelist. He published widely in the 19th century and is remembered for fiction as well as humorous and practical books, including works connected with Parisian life and travel.
His career was productive and varied, which helps explain why his name still appears in library catalogs and digital archives today. Some modern references also note that he took part in a fatal duel in 1855 and was jailed for 36 days afterward, a striking episode in an otherwise long life in letters.
Debans died in Nice on February 14, 1919. Although he is not as widely known now as some of his contemporaries, his work survives through major collections such as the Bibliothèque nationale de France and public-domain libraries, where readers can still discover his novels and nonfiction.