The Belly of Paris: By Emile Zola a new translation with an introduction by Mark Kurlansky.
The New York Times Magazine’s 2011 Food and Drink issue described this book as “The greatest food novel ever written, hands down.” Kurlansky translates Emile Zola’s rich prose and even richer sense of both humor and tragedy into English. Part of Zola’s multigenerational Rougon-Macquart saga. It is the story of Florent, wrongfully accused of murder in a political uprising, he escapes from Devil’s Island and returns to Paris living in his brothers charcuterie in the newly rebuilt Les Halles market, Paris’ first exposed steel structure. Florent is swept up in a dangerous maelstrom of food and politics with the charcutiere, the cheese vendor, the fruit seller, the fish woman and others. A tragi-comedy center around food. Includes authors notes on food and history.
Where to Buy
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Hardcover
Sun & Moon Press, 1996
ISBN: 978-2702804896
Other Editions
The Belly of Paris: By Emile Zola a new translation with an introduction by Mark Kurlansky.
Paperback
Modern Library, 2009
ISBN: 978-0812974225
Reviews
“It’s totally appropriate that food-writer Mark Kurlansky should helm Modern Library Classics’ new translation of Émile Zola’s The Belly of Paris. Not only does he have a keen ear for Zola’s revolutionary naturalism, he also captures the passion at the heart (or gut) of The Belly of Paris–a passion for food.”
Biblioklept