{"product_id":"the-adventures-of-gil-blas-alain-rene-le-sage-9780820346021","title":"The Adventures of Gil Blas of Santillane","description":"\u003cp\u003eTobias Smollett, in the preface to his first novel, \u003ci\u003eThe Adventures of Roderick Random \u003c\/i\u003e(1748), acknowledges the influence of Alain Ren  Le Sage's \u003ci\u003eL'Histoire de Gil Blas de Santillane\u003c\/i\u003e (1715-35 in four volumes) on his work. By far the most successful of \"useful and entertaining\" romances, Smollett writes, \u003ci\u003eGil Blas\u003c\/i\u003e describes \"the knavery and foibles of life, with infinite humour and sagacity.\" \"The following sheets,\" he adds significantly, \"I have modeled on his plan.\" \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eSmollett's translation of \u003ci\u003eGil Blas\u003c\/i\u003e appeared nine months after the publication of \u003ci\u003eRoderick Random\u003c\/i\u003e. This chronicle of a merry, philosophical young man whose adventures lead him into all levels of society from the highest to the lowest, presents special problems for a translator. Smollett, without always adhering to the literal expression of the novel's language, is true to its style, spirit, and ideas. After two and a half centuries, his remains the finest translation of this humorous, satiric, and classic French novel. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn his early years in London, Smollett struggled to find a way to distinguish himself through his medical practice, medical writings, poetry, and plays. None of these attempts, however, allowed him to demonstrate the full range of his personality and talents. Only when he combined his own boundless imagination with the skills he had learned from translating \u003ci\u003eGil Blas\u003c\/i\u003e was he able to create energetic narratives filled with vivid and original characters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Alain Rene Le Sage\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 0820346020\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780820346021\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e University of Georgia Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 01\/15\/2014\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 730\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.91lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 1.81d","brand":"Alain Rene Le Sage","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":43926515122431,"sku":"9780820346021","price":51.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/products\/img_5601a8ba-a84f-4794-8503-0bc9c47020e0.jpg?v=1681083489","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/the-adventures-of-gil-blas-alain-rene-le-sage-9780820346021","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}