Paul Bourget

Born in Amiens on September 2, 1852, Paul Bourget began as a poet, publishing verse from the 1870s through 1882 before turning increasingly to fiction, essays, and literary criticism. His work is especially associated with psychological and moral analysis, and his 1889 novel Le Disciple became one of his best-known books.

Bourget was elected to the Académie française in 1894, a recognition of his standing in French letters. He continued writing novels, criticism, and essays until his death in Paris on December 25, 1935, leaving behind a substantial body of work that reflects the intellectual and social tensions of his era.