L'Assommoir [The Drinking Den] cover art

L'Assommoir [The Drinking Den]

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L'Assommoir [The Drinking Den]

By: Émile Zola
Narrated by: Leighton Pugh
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About this listen

Brutal, gripping, and heart-wrenching, L'Assommoir (also known as The Drinking Den) chronicles the tragic downward spiral of Gervaise Macquart, a good-natured and hardworking laundress who slides into alcoholism and despair.

After her lover abandons her and their two children, Gervaise marries a tin worker, Coupeau, who helps her rebuild her life. She starts her own business, and the two have a daughter, Anna (the protagonist of Zola's later novel Nana). But their happiness is short-lived as a freak accident leaves Coupeau seriously injured, beginning the family's fall into alcohol, desperation, and violence.

Disturbingly realistic, L'Assommoir is a vivid portrayal of life in late 19th-century Paris.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

Public Domain (P)2019 Naxos AudioBooks Classics Fiction Genre Fiction Literary Fiction

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It is with sadness that we watch the descent of Gervaise Macquart, a loveable laundress, as she slides into alcoholism and despair, like many of those around her.

Her lover abandons her and their two children. Gervaise then marries a tin worker, Coupeau, a neighbour, and they rebuild their lives.

The two have a daughter, Anna (Zola's Nana).

However, happiness & prosperity don’t last. An accident leaves Coupeau seriously injured. Gervaise struggles, does the right thing by him, as she does by all, but the family starts it’s decline. Those who have been jealous of her, revel in her plight. Those who should have been expected to help, don’t!

Gervaise borrows money, all theirs has gone on his nursing, & she opens her own laundry, which at first is esteemed.

But nothing, it seems, can stop her decline into alcohol, desperation, and violence.

“Disturbingly realistic, L'Assommoir is a vivid portrayal of life in late 19th-century Paris.”

The Drinking Den.

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Emile Zola is noted for his realism, unlike Victor Hugo Zola he eschewed any mawkish representation of the impoverished & their life choices. The working class do not always triumph in his novels, redemption does not always occur.
Does this make his writing bleak? It truly doesn’t.

I have read a better translation of L’Assommoit than the version here, but no real complaints- the essence of Parisian life & escalating alcoholism is palpable throughout.

The narrator (Leighton Pugh) does a fabulous job- his pacing is perfect, his intonation fabulous & his feel for the characters is exceptional.

A great novel beautifully handled.

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Thoroughly enjoyed this novel. For me I also really enjoyed the performance. Dramatic and devastating but brilliant.

First Zola novel I have listened to

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A fine, if relentlessly depressing novel, and very well read. It is however a dated and 'workmanlike' translation. To be honest I would have returned it, but there are no other versions available on Audible. I do wish Audible would list the exact edition/translation of texts - it makes an enormous difference...

Great book, crappy translation

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Leighton Pugh is a superb deliverer of the wonderful works of Emile Zola. He doesn’t trammel the novel with his performance, he’s as honest a communicator as it’s possible to be, conveying what’s there in Zola without embellishing it, a wonderful listen, as for the works themselves, they are sublime!!

Superb

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An incredible story, written with a poetic lucidity that will remain deep within memory, a tragic tale of the demon drink brought to life by the ever masterful Zola. Amazingly well read also. Bravo.

Fantastic

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