On Love

audiobook

On Love

by Stendhal

EN·~9 hours

Chapters

Description

A thoughtful exploration of love’s many faces, this work invites listeners to step into the mind of a 19th‑century thinker who wrestles with the clash between passion and society’s expectations. Through vivid observations of French, Italian and broader European attitudes, the author dissects how culture, law and education shape the ways men and women experience affection. The text balances personal anecdotes—such as the embarrassment of being made a fool by a youthful lover—with broader reflections on the freedoms required for genuine connection.

Beyond romance, the book delves into early debates on women’s rights, arguing that true love can only flourish when both partners are intellectually and socially liberated. Its style, at once conversational and scholarly, reflects a restless writer who measured his prose against the rigor of civil law. Listeners will find a rich tapestry of ideas that still resonate, offering both historical insight and timeless questions about the nature of desire and equality.

Details

Language

en

Duration

~9 hours (549K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by Madeleine Fournier. Images provided by The Internet Archive.

Release date

2016-12-12

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

Subjects

About the author

Stendhal

Stendhal

1783–1842

Best known for The Red and the Black and The Charterhouse of Parma, this sharp-eyed French novelist wrote with unusual psychological depth and a restless, modern energy. His life as a traveler, critic, and diplomat gave his fiction a worldly edge that still feels fresh.

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