
Set against the restless backdrop of early‑19th‑century Italy, the story follows a young, idealistic nobleman who arrives in the vibrant city of Parma seeking glory, love, and a place in the swirling political currents of the age. His ambitions quickly become tangled with the intrigues of powerful families, the allure of forbidden romance, and the ever‑present shadow of Napoleonic ambition. The narrative captures the clash between personal desire and the relentless march of history, rendering each encounter with vivid emotional intensity.
Through lyrical prose and keen psychological insight, the novel explores the restless heart of a generation yearning for freedom and authenticity. Listeners will be drawn into sumptuous courtly settings, clandestine meetings, and the tender, often tormented, relationships that shape the protagonist’s destiny. The tale balances passionate love affairs with sharp observations of society, offering a richly textured portrait of a world on the brink of transformation.
Full title
The Chartreuse of Parma Translated from the French of Stendhal (Henri Beyle)
Language
en
Duration
~19 hours (1095K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Anne Grieve and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
Release date
2018-08-04
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

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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