Story of a Kiss

Cim, Albert, 1845-1924Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.3

Word count: 204K words
Chapters: 21

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Histoire d'un baiser by Albert CimAuthor: Cim, Albert, 1845-1924,Language: French, Class: PQ: Language and Literatures: Romance literatures: French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Release Date: Jan 29, 2006

Editor's review

Histoire d'un baiser is a French-language work by Albert Cim (1845–1924), a French author, and belongs to French literature. Judging by its title, it tells a story centered on "a kiss," with the lightness, wit and observation of feeling common in French letters. Cim was known chiefly for literary criticism and essays; this work is closer to a short narrative sketch than a grand novel. Its value lies in the pleasure of language and situation: delicate French phrasing, the unfolding of an intimate moment, and the aesthetic tastes of French literary circles from the late nineteenth to the early twentieth century. It suits French learners as extensive reading and readers interested in French popular fiction and sketches of feeling. Those expecting strong plot or deep social critique may find it slight.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers with intermediate French or above seeking short texts for extensive reading
Readers interested in French literary sketches of the late 19th and early 20th centuries
Readers who enjoy light narratives centered on feeling and everyday moments
Students or enthusiasts studying the motif of the kiss in French literature

Not a good fit for

Readers with no French who do not intend to use a translation
Readers who prefer strong plots, suspense or grand narratives
Researchers seeking systematic literary-historical analysis

Reading tips

Read through once for the plot, then revisit passages describing the kiss and the psychology to build French expression.
Make flashcards of unfamiliar idioms and archaic expressions, memorizing them in context.
Pair it with a chapter on sketches of the period in a history of French literature to understand the genre.
If reading a translation, compare key passages with the original to sense differences in rhythm.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

How difficult is the French in this book?

It is literary French of the late 19th to early 20th century, with syntax more complex than modern speech and possibly archaic expressions and long descriptions. It suits readers with intermediate reading ability willing to use a dictionary; beginners should start with a simplified edition or translation.

What does "baiser" mean in the title?

In French, baiser can mean "kiss," and in literary contexts often centers on kissing and intimate moments. The exact plot must be judged from the original. Read it in context and avoid applying modern slang meanings to older literature.

What kind of author is Albert Cim?

Sources describe Albert Cim (1845–1924) as a French author, with this book classified under French literature. No further biographical details are provided, so his life should not be invented. Readers may treat this work as one sample of his writing, not the representative whole.

Is this book suitable for French classes?

It can serve as intermediate French extensive reading or literary selections, but teachers should prepare for archaic expressions and cultural background. Its short length and focused theme suit close reading of excerpts; for classroom use, pair it with vocabulary lists and background notes.

Comments

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About the author

Cim, Albert, 1845-1924 Author

Albert Cim (1845–1924) was a French man of letters, though public information about his life is limited; only his name and four works are available here. Judging from these works, he was especially interested in books, reading, and questions concerning women. The title Récréations littéraires, curiosités et singularités, bévues et lapsus, etc. suggests a miscellaneous and light-hearted curiosity, in the nature of notes collecting literary anecdotes and verbal slips; Les femmes et les livres and Émancipées turn to women readers, women's writing, and their social situation, showing his concern with the relation between the status of women and reading culture at the time. Histoire d'un baiser is closer in subject to narrative or essay. Overall, his writing centers on literary curiosities, book culture, and women's themes, in an essayistic and informative style, and may appeal to readers interested in late nineteenth-century French literary anecdotes and reading culture.