From the first sentence, I was captivated by this biography: 'The city of Rouen is dominated by its cathedral, and in particular by the black lattice-like structure rocketing up in to the sky from the nave, like a demented firework.' Andrew Brown manages to encapsulate the life of the great writer with wit, imagination, and superb writing. He describes his life span in an entertaining manner, obviously giving the reader the essential facts, interspersed with fascinating vignettes that illuminate the personality of Flaubert, and his particular writing style and philosophy. He loved ideas, was obsessively methodical in his research, passionate, sexually voracious, syphilitic. Highly recommended as a way to get a taste for the man and his methods, and then go on to more substantial biographies.

(Thanks to Hesperus Press, both for the review copy, and for the Brief Lives series, which is a wonderful thing.) ( )

I suspect that this book is intended for the seasoned Flaubert connoisseur. It is written in poetic, exhilarative prose that reads more like an attempt at literary acrobatics than straightforward biography. The person reading for a generalist overview will find themselves confused. I think that Brown has extraordinary talents, but am unsure if he managed to convey his information in any linear fashion. Indeed, many assumptions as to reader's knowledge were made. I read this book as a poetic celebration of Flaubert the man and his art, rather than a 'birth to death' account of life events and output.

A beautiful writer, but perhaps not for the reader wanting a straightforward biography of Flaubert. I enjoyed his writing style immensely but remain confused about his mandate in this series.

Thanks to the publishers for making this book available to me as an advanced copy. ( )

In my opinion this is an interesting book for students and lovers of literature, a less attractive one to readers who are approaching Flaubert's life with the expectations of readers of biographies.
There is no introductory news on Flaubert (eg when and where he lived) and in general the author takes for granted the knowledge of the whole Flaubert's work. Not exactley what I expect of a biography.
Anyway the book is enjoyable and enlightening on many aspects of Flaubert, the man and the writer. It can be easily read thanks to the concise and fast rythm of writing; the organization into short thematic chapters helps too. ( )

The Brief Lives series is a wonderful idea. Full length literary biographies are often cumbersome and over long as a way of introducing readers to writers but if the Flaubert tome is anything to go by this new series will become indispensable. Similar in concept to the brilliant Fontana Modern Masters series that provided introductions to modern philosophers such learned introductory texts are excellent primers.

Andrew Brown knows both his subject's life and works well enough to give one confidence that this mercifully concise book tells the new or potential Flaubert reader everything he or she needs. Brown puts together a number of short. almost terse but beguiling chapters that take one through the life and the work in short order but in an eminently readable fashion.

Personally I shall not be revisiting Flaubert but then had I not read this work I might have and I know more of Flaubert's life than heretofore. A worthy and well executed short biography.

It has rarely been my habit to read literary biographies perhaps due to an unfounded fear of being disillusioned, disappointed, or unduly unmasking the enigma that the writer may be. However, I enjoy choosing and sometimes obtaining little literary gems through Library Thing's Early Reviewers' program and they have never let me down yet as an ardent lover of Flaubert, I was slightly hesitant and dubious about this biography.

Brown's writing exudes lyrical and poetic language and soon, my resistance was futile: I thoroughly enjoyed this succinct biography. . . and unlike some readers, the non-linear narrative was welcomed and not at all jarring to this voracious bookworm's focus and pleasure. Nevertheless, the biography left me wanting at times. Perhaps I ought to be less critical for I'm a quasi-seasoned Flaubert reader (and lover) and this book's intended audience is the general audience. . . it was never clearly stipulated in my humble opinion.

All the same, a delightful read, despite some instances that made me question the purpose of the biographer. ( )