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Louis Couperus (1863-1923), regarded as one of the foremost figures in Dutch literature, was a leading member of the Tachtigers movement. Born in the Hague, Couperus was taken by his family to the Dutch East Indies as a child, where he remained until his father's death. His other novels include Eline Vere (1889), Ecstasy (Extaze: Een boek van geluk, 1892), Inevitable (Langs lijnen van geleidelijkheid, 1900), and The Hidden Force (De Stille Kracht, 1900), all of which are available from Pushkin Press. A renowned wit, raconteur and commentator, Couperus continued to publish critically and commercially successful work until his death. Klappentext This is the story of a young and beautiful widow, Cecile, who falls in love with a notorious womanizer. The tranquil setting in turn-of-the-century Holland belies the suffering that she has to endure in the midst of polite society, and the pain of unspoken passion as she abandons herself to love.Ecstasy is a novel of burning passion and agonising restraint. In turn-of the-century Holland, Cecile, a beautiful high-society widow, falls in love with a notorious womanizer, but her desire must remain unspoken.This is one of Couperus's most powerful novels. A brilliant observer of fin-de-siècle Dutch society, his works are characterised by perfect characterisation, exquisite description and a mordant wit, which brought comparisons to Oscar Wilde.
About the author
Louis Couperus (1863-1923) was born in The Hague, but spent much of his youth in the Dutch East Indies, where many of his novels and stories are set. He gained prominence in 1889 with the publication of Eline Vere-a psychological novel influenced by the style of Zola and Flaubert. Eline Vere was followed by Ecstasy in 1892, Psyche in 1898 and Inevitable in 1900. All four of these novelas are also available in new translations from Pushkin Press.
