author
Xavier de Maistre
1763–1852
A soldier, traveler, and sharp-eyed observer of everyday life, he turned a brief spell of house arrest into one of the most charmingly original books of his era. His small-scale adventures helped make the ordinary feel witty, playful, and unexpectedly profound.
4 Audiobooks
Voyage autour de ma chambre
by Xavier de Maistre
A journey round my room
by Xavier de Maistre
Expédition nocturne autour de ma chambre
by Xavier de Maistre
Vojaĝo interne de mia ĉambro
by Xavier de Maistre
About the author
Born in Chambéry in 1763, Xavier de Maistre was a Savoyard writer and military officer, and the younger brother of the political thinker Joseph de Maistre. He first served in the army of Piedmont-Sardinia and later spent much of his life in Russia, where he continued his military career.
He is best remembered for Voyage autour de ma chambre (Journey Around My Room), a light, inventive book inspired by the 42 days of house arrest he served after a duel. By treating his own room as if it were a world to explore, he mixed humor, reflection, and a quietly personal style that still feels fresh.
De Maistre also wrote a sequel, Expédition nocturne autour de ma chambre (A Nocturnal Expedition Around My Room), along with other fiction and prose. He died in Saint Petersburg in 1852, leaving behind a body of work admired for its elegance, wit, and unusual sense of intimacy.