Bouvard and Pécuchet

On a sweltering Sunday, two office copyists sit on the same bench and discover that each has written his name inside his headgear. This small coincidence begins a friendship sustained by shared complaints, lively conversation and a wish for more time to study. Bouvard is sociable and expansive; Pécuchet is serious, cautious and surrounded by books. Their enthusiasm for knowledge gives Gustave Flaubert's novel its comic momentum.

This first part follows interests ranging from agriculture and chemistry to archaeology, literature and politics. In their discussions of the French Revolution, the friends gather accounts that support their opposing views, then find themselves troubled by contradictions among historians. The comedy turns on their eagerness to learn and the difficulty of reaching a sound judgment. Readers interested in nineteenth century French life can also follow the pair's opinions about work, religion and city comforts, expressed through closely observed habits and everyday exchanges.