André Maurois | Today's AI Wiki

1. Overview

André Maurois (born Émile Salomon Wilhelm Herzog_{Emile Salomon Wilhelm Herzog}^French; 26 July 1885 - 9 October 1967) was a prominent French author, known for his prolific output as a novelist, biographer, and essayist. Born into an Alsatian Jewish family, Maurois became a significant figure in 20th-century French literature, celebrated for his elegant prose, wit, and insightful observations on human nature and society. He played a crucial role in bridging French and English literary cultures, with many of his works, particularly his acclaimed biographies, focusing on British subjects and being widely translated into English. His literary career spanned over five decades, marked by a distinctive style that blended erudition with accessibility, making complex subjects understandable to a broad readership.

2. Early Life and Education

André Maurois was born Émile Salomon Wilhelm Herzog on 26 July 1885, in Elbeuf, a town in Normandy, France. His family were Alsatian Jews who had fled their home region after the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, seeking refuge in Elbeuf. His father, Ernest Herzog, was a textile manufacturer, and his mother was Alice Lévy-Rueff. The family owned a woollen mill in Elbeuf, and according to Maurois, they brought their entire Alsatian workforce with them when they relocated. This act led to Maurois's grandfather being admitted to the Legion of Honour for having "saved a French industry." This family background, particularly the textile industry, later served as inspiration for Maurois's novel Bernard Quesnay, which features a young World War I veteran torn between artistic and intellectual pursuits and the demands of working in his grandfather's textile mills. This character is widely seen as having autobiographical elements.

Maurois received his education at the prestigious Lycée Pierre Corneille in Rouen, also in Normandy. During his time there, he was a student of the philosopher Émile-Auguste Chartier, who profoundly influenced his intellectual development and philosophical outlook. After graduating, Maurois initially returned to Elbeuf to assist his father with the management of the family's textile factory, a period that informed his later writings and reflections on life choices.

3. World War I and Early Literary Career

The outbreak of World War I marked a significant turning point in Maurois's life and career. He joined the French Army and served as an interpreter, notably for Lieutenant Colonel Winston Churchill, as documented by Martin Gilbert in Churchill and the Jews. He later became a liaison officer with the British Army. His experiences during the war, particularly his close interactions with British military figures and his observations of Anglo-French relations, profoundly shaped his perspective and provided rich material for his writing.

His debut novel, Les silences du colonel Bramble (1918), was a direct result of these wartime experiences. It offered a witty and socially realistic account of his time as a liaison officer, capturing the nuances of British character and military life. The novel was an immediate success in France and quickly gained popularity in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries after its translation as The Silence of Colonel Bramble. This early success established Maurois as a promising literary voice and marked the beginning of his prolific career, during which many of his works, often dealing with British people or topics, were translated into English, primarily by Hamish Miles.

4. World War II and Wartime Activities

With the onset of World War II, André Maurois again found himself involved in the conflict, serving in various capacities that further influenced his writings. He was appointed as the French Official Observer attached to the British General Headquarters and, in this role, he accompanied the British Army during their deployment to Belgium. Having personal connections with key politicians in the French government, Maurois was dispatched on a mission to London on 10 June 1940. However, his mission concluded with the Armistice between the Vichy government and Germany.

Following his demobilization, Maurois traveled from England to Canada. He later moved to the United States with his second wife, Simone de Caillavet, where they contributed to propaganda efforts against the Nazis. During the war, he also served in the French army and the Free French Forces. His experiences and observations during this tumultuous period were chronicled in several notable works, including Tragedy in France (1940), Why France Fell (1941), and his autobiography, Call No Man Happy (1941), which offered an eyewitness account of the events and his personal reflections.

Notably, in his 1941 autobiography, Maurois acknowledged the encouragement and assistance he received from Marshal Philippe Pétain in seeking membership in the Académie française. This acknowledgment was made despite the sharp divergence in their paths by the time of writing, as Pétain had become the Head of State of Vichy France.

5. Later Life and Death

After World War II, in 1947, André Maurois's literary pseudonym, "Maurois," officially became his legal name. He continued to write prolifically across various genres, including novels, biographies, histories, children's books, and even science fiction stories, maintaining a significant presence in the literary world. His later years were marked by sustained productivity and critical acclaim.

André Maurois died on 9 October 1967, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, a commune near Paris. He was laid to rest in the Neuilly-sur-Seine community cemetery. His death marked the end of a long and distinguished career that left an indelible mark on French and international literature.

6. Literary Style and Influences

André Maurois's literary style is characterized by its remarkable clarity, wit, and elegance, distinguishing him as a master of French prose. His writing often combined a deep erudition with an accessible narrative, making complex historical and psychological subjects engaging for a wide audience. He possessed a flexible style that allowed him to transition seamlessly between fiction, biography, and essay, always maintaining a moderate common sense and insightful perspective.

A significant intellectual influence on Maurois was his former teacher, the philosopher Émile-Auguste Chartier. Alain's philosophy, emphasizing reason, discipline, and the importance of individual thought, formed a fundamental basis for Maurois's approach to literature and life. Maurois often sought to popularize Alain's philosophical ideas through his own accessible writings.

His biographies, in particular, were celebrated for their "novelistic" approach, which involved meticulously researched facts presented with the narrative flow and psychological depth typically found in fiction. This innovative style allowed him to bring historical figures to life, exploring their inner worlds and motivations with a novelist's sensibility. Maurois's deep understanding of English history and literature, cultivated during his wartime service and reflected in his choice of many British subjects for his biographies, further enriched his literary output. He was adept at blending factual accuracy with compelling storytelling, making his historical and biographical works both informative and highly readable.

7. Major Works

André Maurois's extensive bibliography showcases the remarkable breadth of his literary output, encompassing novels, essays, biographies, historical writings, and short stories. His works are notable for their clear prose, psychological depth, and ability to bridge cultural understanding, particularly between France and the English-speaking world.

7.1. Novels and Essays

Maurois's fictional works often explored themes of love, relationships, and the complexities of human emotion. His notable novels include:

Les silences du colonel Bramble (1918), his debut, a witty and socially realistic account of his experiences as a liaison officer during World War I.
Ni ange, ni bête (1919), later translated as Neither Angel, Nor Beast.
Les Discours du docteur O'Grady (1922), which continued the themes from his first novel.
Climats (1923), a significant novel exploring the psychological dynamics of marriage and love, translated as Whatever Gods May Be.
Bernard Quesnay (1927), a novel with strong autobiographical elements, depicting a young veteran's conflict between intellectual aspirations and family business.
Le chapitre suivant (1927), translated as The Next Chapter: The War Against the Moon.
Le Peseur d'âmes (1931), translated as The Weigher of Souls.
Cercle de famille (1932), translated as The Family Circle.
La machine à lire les pensées (1937), a science fiction narrative translated as The Thought Reading Machine.
Woman Without Love (1944).
Destins exemplaires (1952), translated as Profiles of Great Men.
Lettres à l'inconnue (1953), translated as To an Unknown Lady.

His essays often reflected his philosophical insights and observations on life, art, and society. Key essay collections include:

Aspects de la biographie (1928), a foundational text on his approach to biography, translated as Aspects of Biography.
Un art de vivre (1939), offering reflections on the art of living, translated as The Art of Living.
Sept visages de l'amour (1946), exploring various facets of love.
Lecture, mon doux plaisir (1957), a work on the pleasures of reading, translated as The Art of Writing.
Lettre ouverte à un jeune homme sur la conduite de la vie (1966), an open letter to young people on life conduct.

7.2. Biographies

Maurois is perhaps most renowned for his "novelistic biographies," which combined rigorous historical research with the narrative techniques of fiction to create vivid and engaging portraits of historical figures. His acclaimed biographical works include:

Ariel, ou La vie de Shelley (1923), a biography of Percy Bysshe Shelley, translated as Ariel: The Life of Shelley.
La vie de Disraëli (1927), a detailed account of the life of Benjamin Disraeli, translated as Disraeli: A Picture of the Victorian Age.
Byron (1930), a comprehensive biography of Lord Byron.
Lyautey (1931), on French Marshal Louis Hubert Gonzalve Lyautey.
Chateaubriand (1932), also published as René ou la Vie de Chateaubriand.
Voltaire (1935), a biography of the Enlightenment philosopher.
Édouard VII et son temps (1933), on Edward VII and his era, translated as The Edwardian Era.
La vie de Sir Alexander Fleming (1929), on the discoverer of penicillin, translated as The Life of Sir Alexander Fleming.
À la recherche de Marcel Proust (1949), a biography of Marcel Proust, translated as Proust: Portrait of a Genius.
Lélia, ou la vie de George Sand (1952), a biography of George Sand, translated as Lelia: The Life of George Sand.
Cecil Rhodes (1953), a concise biography of the British imperialist.
Olympio ou la vie de Victor Hugo (1954), a major work on Victor Hugo, translated as Olympio: The Turbulent Life of Victor Hugo.
Les Titans ou Les Trois Dumas (1957), a multi-generational biography of the Dumas family, translated as Titans: A Three-Generation Biography of the Dumas.
Adrienne, ou, La vie de Mme de La Fayette (1960), on Adrienne de La Fayette.
Prométhée ou la Vie de Balzac (1965), a biography of Honoré de Balzac, translated as Prometheus: The Life of Balzac.
He also wrote biographies of Ivan Turgenev and Frédéric Chopin.

7.3. Historical Writings

Maurois made significant contributions to historical literature, offering comprehensive narratives of national histories with a distinct perspective. His major historical works include:

Histoire d'Angleterre (1937), a comprehensive history of England, translated as A History of England and The Miracle of England.
Les origines de la guerre de 1939 (1939), examining the origins of World War II.
Tragedy in France: An Eyewitness Account (1940) and Why France Fell (1941), both reflecting his experiences during the early stages of World War II.
The Miracle of America (1944), a historical account of the United States.
Histoire de la France (1947), a history of France.
Histoire des États-Unis (1947), a history of the United States.

7.4. Short Stories

Maurois also authored numerous short stories, many of which were collected in The Collected Stories of André Maurois (1967). These stories often explored psychological themes, human relationships, and sometimes ventured into the realm of the fantastic or speculative. Notable short stories and collections include:

"An Imaginary Interview"
"Reality Transposed"
"Darling, Good Evening!"
"Lord of the Shadows"
"Ariane, My Sister..."
"Home Port"
"Myrrhine"
"Biography"
"Thanatos Palace Hotel", which was adapted as an episode of The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.
"Friends"
"Dinner Under the Chestnut Trees"
"Bodies and Souls"
"The Curse of Gold"
"For Piano Alone"
"The Departure"
"The Fault of M. Balzac"
"Love in Exile"
"Wednesday's Violets"
"A Career"
"Ten Year Later"
"Tidal Wave"
"Transference"
"Flowers in Season"
"The Will"
"The Campaign"
"The Life of Man"
"The Corinthian Porch"
"The Cathedral"
"The Ants"
"The Postcard"
"Poor Maman"
"The Green Belt"
"The Neuilly Fair"
"The Birth of a Master"
"Black Masks"
"Irène"
"The Letters"
"The Cuckoo"
"The House", which was adapted as an episode of Night Gallery.

8. Reception and Translations

André Maurois's writings enjoyed widespread international reception, particularly in English-speaking countries, where his works were highly popular. His deep familiarity with British culture and his frequent choice of British subjects for his biographies contributed significantly to his appeal among English readers.

The extensive translation of his works played a crucial role in disseminating his literary output globally. His principal translator into English was Hamish Miles, who translated many of Maurois's early and most successful works, including The Silence of Colonel Bramble and his biographies of Disraeli, Byron, and Shelley. The consistent availability of his books in English ensured his enduring popularity and influence beyond France. His works were also translated into numerous other languages, including Japanese, Indonesian, and Korean, further solidifying his international literary standing.

9. Personal Life and Family

André Maurois's personal life was marked by two marriages and close family ties. His first wife was Jeanne-Marie Wanda de Szymkiewicz, a young Polish-Russian aristocrat who had pursued her studies at Oxford University. Their marriage ended tragically when Jeanne-Marie suffered a nervous breakdown in 1918 and subsequently died of sepsis in 1924. Following his father's death, Maurois ceased his involvement in the family's textile business, a decision that allowed him to fully dedicate himself to his literary career, a path he explored autobiographically in his novel Bernard Quesnay.

His second wife was Simone de Caillavet, a notable figure in her own right. Simone was the daughter of the playwright Gaston Arman de Caillavet and actress Jeanne Pouquet, and the granddaughter of Léontine Arman de Caillavet, who was the mistress of the renowned writer Anatole France. After the Fall of France in 1940 during World War II, André and Simone moved to the United States, where they actively participated in propaganda efforts against the Nazis. Maurois's brother-in-law was the French writer and critic Jean-Richard Bloch.

Maurois's family grave in Neuilly-sur-Seine.

10. Recognition and Memberships

Throughout his distinguished career, André Maurois received significant honors and recognitions that underscored his prominent standing in French literary circles and beyond. His contributions to literature were widely acknowledged, culminating in his election to one of France's most prestigious institutions.

10.1. Membership in the Académie française

In 1938, André Maurois was elected to the Académie française, the pre-eminent French council for matters pertaining to the French language. This membership is considered one of the highest honors for a French writer and signifies official recognition of their literary achievements and contributions to French culture. His pursuit of this esteemed position was notably encouraged and assisted by Marshal Philippe Pétain. Maurois publicly acknowledged his gratitude to Pétain in his 1941 autobiography, Call No Man Happy, even though their political paths had sharply diverged by that time, with Pétain having become the Head of State of Vichy France. His election to the Académie française solidified his status as a canonical figure in French literature.

11. Legacy and Assessment

André Maurois's literary legacy is profound and multifaceted. He is remembered as a master stylist whose clear, witty, and accessible prose made complex subjects approachable for a broad audience. His unique approach to "novelistic biography" revolutionized the genre, blending meticulous historical research with the narrative depth and psychological insight of fiction. Through works on figures like Shelley, Byron, Disraeli, Hugo, and Balzac, he not only illuminated their lives but also explored universal human experiences and motivations.

Beyond his biographies, Maurois's novels offered keen observations on human relationships, while his historical writings provided comprehensive and engaging accounts of nations. He played a crucial role in fostering cultural understanding, particularly between France and the English-speaking world, through his focus on British subjects and the extensive translation of his works. His enduring influence lies in his ability to combine erudition with readability, making him a beloved author whose works continue to be read for their intellectual depth, literary elegance, and timeless insights into the human condition. Maurois's commitment to clarity, his balanced perspective, and his dedication to bridging different cultures through literature ensure his lasting place in the annals of 20th-century literature.