
A young boy, raised in the modest village of Chavanon, has always believed the kindly woman who cared for him was his true mother. Her gentle songs, warm embraces, and steady guidance shape his early years, even as the world around them remains harsh and simple. The boy’s quiet life by the brook is marked by the rhythms of farm work, schoolyard quarrels, and the occasional distant news from a stone‑cutter father who works in Paris.
One evening a mud‑covered stranger arrives with unsettling news that shatters the boy’s sense of security. The unexpected message forces him to confront a future far beyond the familiar fields, setting him on a road of travel and self‑discovery. As he steps away from the only home he has known, the story unfolds with themes of loyalty, perseverance, and the search for belonging, inviting listeners to share in his hopeful, heartfelt journey.
Full title
Nobody's Boy Sans Famille
Language
en
Duration
~8 hours (466K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Free Elf, Martin Pettit and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
Release date
2008-04-19
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1830–1907
Best known for the beloved classic Nobody's Boy, this French novelist wrote stories that mixed adventure, hardship, and a deep sympathy for ordinary people. His books helped bring social realism to a wide audience while staying warm, readable, and full of feeling.
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