author
comtesse de Elisabeth Galos Houdetot
1841–1925
A little-known French woman of letters from the late 19th century, she is remembered today for charming, moral-minded fiction. Her best-known surviving work, "Les Mémoires d'un parapluie," turns an everyday object into a playful guide to kindness, vanity, and human behavior.
1 Audiobook
Les Mémoires d'un Parapluie
by comtesse de Elisabeth Galos Houdetot
About the author
Born in Paris on June 15, 1841, and later known as the comtesse de Houdetot, she was a French writer associated with the literary world of the 19th century. She died in Bordeaux on December 4, 1925.
Although not widely known today, her name has endured through Les Mémoires d'un parapluie, a late-19th-century work that blends humor, imagination, and moral observation. The book was published in 1894 and presented with illustrations by Henry Gerbault, showing her gift for writing that could entertain while gently teaching.
Very little biographical detail is easy to confirm, which makes her an intriguing figure: an author who seems to survive mainly through her books rather than through a large public legend. That quiet obscurity is part of her appeal, especially for readers interested in rediscovering overlooked French authors.