Sac-Au-Dos / 1907

Name: Sac-Au-Dos / 1907
Author: J.-K. Huysmans

By J.-K. Huysmans

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French Literature

About This Book

A young man recounts his passage from student life into conscripted service during a sudden national war, tracing his earlier tastes, family pressures, and ambivalence toward the law. The narrative follows chaotic mobilization: drunken sendoffs in the city, cramped and halting train journeys, long waits, improvised camps, scant provisions, and the small degradations of military routine. Vivid sensory description of landscapes and troop movements alternates with quiet introspection about identity, duty, and the bureaucratic absurdities that shape soldiers' lives, producing a sober, observational portrait of ordinary men caught in wartime upheaval.

About the Author

J.-K. Huysmans

J.-K. Huysmans was a French novelist and art critic, best known for his influential works that explore themes of aestheticism and spirituality. His most notable novel, "Against the Grain" (À rebours), is often regarded as a seminal text of the Decadent movement, presenting a protagonist who retreats from society into a world of art and sensory experience. Huysmans' writing is characterized by its rich, detailed descriptions and a deep exploration of the inner life, reflecting his own spiritual journey. Other significant works include "En Route," which delves into the author's conversion to Catholicism, and "Là-bas," a provocative exploration of the darker aspects of human nature.