Seat 11 of the Académie française was occupied by Edmond François Valentin About in 1884, though the writer died early the following year before formally taking his place. Born in Dieuze in 1828, he emerged from the École Normale Supérieure to become a prolific novelist, journalist, and critic within the competitive intellectual circles of nineteenth-century Paris.
Formative Years and Literary Emergence
Educated at Lycée Charlemagne and the École Normale Supérieure, About entered the French school in Athens after his studies. By 1853, he abandoned a potential academic career to focus on writing. His early observations in Greece fueled the 1854 work La Grèce contemporaine, followed by the satirical 1856 novel Le Roi des montagnes. This story of a brigand chief operating a joint-stock company established his reputation for entertaining, anti-clerical prose.
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About was a versatile contributor to French media, notably serving as president of the Société des gens de lettres between 1877 and 1880, and again from 1881 to 1884. He championed republican ideals after the fall of the empire and utilized his newspaper, the XIXe Siècle, as a significant political platform from 1872 until approximately 1877. His output included popular manuals on political economy such as Le progrès and L'A B C du travailleur.
Creative Output and Legacy
His bibliography spans a range of genres, including science fiction and theatre. Notable works include Le nez d'un notaire, L'homme à l'oreille cassée, and the Vieille Roche trilogy. His 1857 novel Germaine is recognized for sharing narrative premises with Henry James’s later work. Recognized as an Officer of the Legion of Honour in 1867, he spent his final years in Paris, where he died in 1885 at his residence on rue de Douai.
Fast facts
- Born: 1828, Dieuze
- Died: 1885, rue de Douai, Paris
- Education: École Normale Supérieure, Lycée Charlemagne
- Award: Officer of the Legion of Honour (1867)
- Académie française: Elected to seat 11 in 1884
- Société des gens de lettres: President 1877-1880, 1881-1884
- Burial site: Père Lachaise Cemetery
- Initiation: Freemasonry, 7 March 1862
Questions readers ask
What is Edmond About's most famous novel?
Le Roi des montagnes (1856), a satire depicting a brigand chief who runs his criminal organization like a registered joint-stock company.
Did About belong to any professional societies?
Yes, he was a member of the Académie française and served as president of the Société des gens de lettres for two separate terms.
Achievements
- Officer of the Legion of Honour — 1867
- Genres: theatre