The Chartreuse of Parma

Young, impulsive, and half in love with Napoleon’s glory, the Italian nobleman Fabrice del Dongo runs off to fight at Waterloo, then returns to a small Italian court where intrigue and passion prove far more dangerous than any battlefield. Guided and adored by his brilliant aunt the Duchess Sanseverina, Fabrice stumbles through love affairs, a killing, prison, and escape, until his heart settles where he least expects it. Written in an astonishing seven weeks, the novel dazzled later readers from Balzac to Tolstoy with its speed, wit, and psychological depth. It stands with The Red and the Black as Stendhal’s finest achievement. Free to download as a PDF or EPUB.