Paul Bourget

Born in Amiens on September 2, 1852, Paul Bourget built his reputation first as a poet and critic before becoming one of France’s best-known novelists. Reference works describe him as a master of the psychological novel, and he was elected to the Académie française in the 1890s.

Bourget became especially known for fiction that examined inner lives rather than outward events alone. His essays and novels paid close attention to motives, conscience, and the pressures of modern society, and his work was widely read in the years before World War I.

Later in life, his writing took on a more openly moral and conservative tone, reflecting his return to Catholic belief and his interest in questions of character and social order. He died in Paris on December 25, 1935, leaving behind a large body of novels, criticism, and essays.