Tartarin of Tarascon

First published in 1872, this comic novel follows Tartarin, a middle-aged bachelor of Tarascon in Provence whose hunting talk and African daydreams have made him a local hero. Pressed by neighbours who have heard his boasts, he sets out for Algeria to hunt lions, taking an arsenal of weapons and a head full of adventure stories. What he meets is colonial garrison life, dubious guides, and beasts that do not match the legend. The book is a satire of provincial bravado and exotic fantasy, not a realistic hunting narrative.

Bound in orange cloth with a frieze design in black by John Lawrence. Yellow endleaves. Grey slipcase.