Bel Ami

<br><i>Bel Ami, </i>written at the height of Guy de Maupassant's powers, is a classic novel of seduction, intrigue, and ruthless social climbing in belle époque Paris.<br><br>Georges Duroy is a down-and-out journalist from a humble background who engineers a stunning rise to the top of Parisian society through his relationships with influential and wealthy women. Making the most of his charm and good looks (his admirers nickname him &quot;Bel Ami&quot;) , Duroy exploits the weaknesses of others to his own advantage - in the process betraying the woman who has most selflessly supported him. Published in 1885, <i>Bel Ami </i>is not only a vivid portrait of a glamorously corrupt and long-vanished Paris, but also a strikingly modern exposé of the destructiveness of unconstrained ambition, sex, and power.<br> <br>Translated from the French by Ernest Boyd