 French author,
one of the greatest masters of the short story in world literature.
He was born in the Château de Miromesnil, Normandy, and educated
at Yvetot and Rouen. In his youth he was a member of a literary group
centering about the noted novelist Gustave Flaubert; Flaubert himself
trained Maupassant in the art of writing fiction. Maupassant's first important
work was the short story "Boule de suif" (Ball of Fat, 1880),
considered his masterpiece in the genre. More than 200 short stories,
including "Mademoiselle Fifi" (1882) and the famous "La
Parure" (The Necklace, 1884), followed in the next 13 years. Maupassant's
work is characterized by variations on the general theme of the cruelty
of human beings to one another, by simplicity of style, and by realism.
His short stories have been translated into English many times, and are
available in many editions. Maupassant was also the author of three collections
of travel sketches and six novels, including A Woman's Life (1883; trans.
1903), a compassionate story of a married woman's misery; Bel Ami (1885;
trans. 1891), about an unscrupulous journalist; The Two Brothers (1888;
trans. 1890); The Master Passion (1889; trans. 1889); and Our Hearts (1890).
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