Items related to The Great Swindle
Synopsis
The year is 1918, the war on the Western Front all but over. An ambitious officer, Lieutenant Henry D'Aulnay-Pradelle, sends two soldiers over the top and then surreptitiously shoots them in the back to incite his men to attack the German lines.
When another of D'Aulnay-Pradelle's soldiers, Albert Maillard, reaches the bodies and discovers how they died, the lieutenant shoves him into a shell hole to silence him. Albert is rescued by fellow soldier, the artist Edouard Péricourt, who takes a bullet in the face. The war ends and both men recover, but Edouard is permanently disfigured, and fakes his death to prevent his family from seeing him as a cripple. In gratitude for Edouard's rescue, Albert becomes the injured man's companion and caregiver.
Finding that the postwar gratitude for the soldiers' service is nothing more than lip-service to an empty idea, the two men scramble to survive, ultimately devising a scam to take money for never-to-be-built war memorials from small towns. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Pradelle has married Edouard's sister Madeline and is running a scam of his own that involves the exhumation of war victims.
In this sorrowful, heart-searching novel, the interwoven lives of these three men create a tapestry of the human condition as seen through the lens of war, revealing brutality and compassion, heroism and cowardice, in equal measure.
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About the Author
Pierre Lemaitre was born in Paris in 1956. He worked for many years as a teacher of literature and now devotes his time to writing novels and screenplays. In 2013 he was awarded the Prix Goncourt, France's most prestigious literary award, for Au Revoir Là-Haut.
Frank Wynne is a translator from French and Spanish. His translations include works by Michel Houellebecq, Marcelo Figueras's IFFP-shortlisted Kamchatka, and the Commandant Camille Verhoeven trilogy (Alex, Irène, and Camille), by Pierre Lemaitre.
Review
Winner of the Prix Goncourt
Winner the International Dagger Award for Best Crime Novel
"Mr. Lemaitre's background in crime fiction shows through in the intricate plotting and suspenseful pacing of The Great Swindle, which at times reads like a thriller. Its characters harbor so many secrets that part of the enjoyment in the book comes from seeing how the author plans to disentangle them."―Sarah Lyall, The New York Times
"Lemaitre's tale is carefully researched, and most of the story's value lies in its historical authenticity....the battlefield and hospital scenes convey Lemaitre's mastery of imagery."―Kirkus Reviews
"[An] assured, somber exploration of post-WWI French society...Lemaitre captures the venal capitalism of the postwar period...Despite his unscrupulous scheme, Édouard proves impossible to dislike. His determination to play a great trick on the society that betrayed him is infectious, and readers cannot help rooting for his plans as they reach their dark, bizarrely joyous fruition."―Publishers Weekly
"A fast-paced tale, filled with twists and turns, following a mischievous, disillusioned view of post-war France."
―Astrid de Larminat, Figaro
"A masterly epic of post-war France, where impostures triumph and capitalists grow rich from the ruins."
―Macha Séry, Le Monde
"You feel the author's indignation . . . Who really profits from war? Crooks, the vengeful, and frauds. The Great Swindle is political as much as it is picaresque."
―Christine Ferniot, Telerama
"A dark, burning requiem delivered in glorious prose that is as tough and effective as a punch in the face . . . It will leave you stunned."
―François Busnel, Express
"Its themes connect elegantly with its action . . . a striking critique of a grieving nation's desire to prettify its past."
―Times Literary Supplement
"Pierre Lemaitre breaks the elitist mould with passion, clarity, and originality . . . moving, angry, intelligent--and compelling."
―Marcel Berlins, The Times
"You'll be horrified and angered, yet often amused at this clever look at war's aftermath."
―Weekend Sport
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherMaclehose Press
- Publication date2015
- ISBN 10 0857053248
- ISBN 13 9780857053244
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages461
- Rating
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The Great Swindle: Prize-winning historical fiction by a master of suspense
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The Great Swindle: Prize-winning historical fiction by a master of suspense
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ISBN 10: 0857053248
ISBN 13: 9780857053244
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Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. October 1918: the war on the Western Front is all but over. Desperate for one last chance of promotion, the ambitious Lieutenant Henri d'Aulnay Pradelle sends two scouts over the top, and secretly shoots them in the back to incite his men to heroic action once more. And so is set in motion a series of devastating events that will inextricably bind together the fates and fortunes of Pradelle and the two soldiers who witness his crime: Albert Maillard and Edouard Pericourt. Back in civilian life, Albert and Edouard struggle to adjust to a society whose reverence for its dead cannot quite match its resentment for those who survived. But the two soldiers conspire to enact an audacious form of revenge against the country that abandoned them to penury and despair, with a scheme to swindle the whole of France on an epic scale. Meanwhile, believing her brother killed in action, Edouard's sister Madeleine has married Pradelle, who is running a little scam of his own. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR007514769
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The Great Swindle
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The Great Swindle
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ISBN 10: 0857053248
ISBN 13: 9780857053244
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Hardcover. Condition: Good/Very Good. First Edition. First edition, first impression (London, 2015). No markings or inscriptions. Uniform mild tanning to the page block edges. Unclipped dust jacket. No tears, but with some general edge wear (a little heavier to the spine tail and the back corners, with a tiny nick to the former), and with some surface scratches to the back. Black cloth with bright gilt titling to the spine. The boards remain clean and sharp, with rubbing to the spine ends and a faint reading crease though the spine. Slight forward cock to the book. A complete and unmarked true first edition, but not a copy for the exacting collector. Translated from the French byFrank Wynne. 461pp. Seller Inventory # 4810
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The Great Swindle
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ISBN 10: 0857053248
ISBN 13: 9780857053244
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The Great Swindle
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Paperback. Condition: Good. 'The year is 1918, the war on the Western Front all but over. An ambitious officer, Lieutenant Henry D'Aulnay-Pradelle, sends two soldiers over the top and then surreptitiously shoots them in the back to incite his men to attack the German lines. When another of D'Aulnay-Pradelle's soldiers, Albert Maillard, reaches the bodies and discovers how they died, the lieutenant shoves him into a shell hole to silence him. Albert is rescued by fellow soldier, the artist Edouard Pericourt, who takes a bullet in the face. The war ends and both men recover, but Edouard is permanently disfigured, and fakes his death to prevent his family from seeing him as a cripple. In gratitude for Edouard's rescue, Albert becomes the injured man's companion and caregiver. Finding that the postwar gratitude for the soldiers' service is nothing more than lip-service to an empty idea, the two men scramble to survive, ultimately devising a scam to take money for never-to-be-built war memorials from small towns. Meanwhile, Lieutenant Pradelle has married Edouard's sister Madeline and is running a scam of his own that involves the exhumation of war victims. In this sorrowful, heart-searching novel, the interwoven lives of these three men create a tapestry of the human condition as seen through the lens of war, revealing brutality and compassion, heroism and cowardice, in equal measure.'--Provided by publisher. Heavy. 461 pages. Seller Inventory # 1541182
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The Great Swindle: Prize-winning historical fiction by a master of suspense
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