Stendhal's Violin

'The way in which Stendhal never lost his feeling for his public is brilliantly described in this new study.' Michael Foot, The Independent 'a book written with great sensitivity to the author's feline sense of humour ... his book deserves to be included on any reading list on Stendhal.' Times Higher Education Supplement `Roger Pearson's very good book is a study of Stendal's relations with his readers, or more precisely, of the kind of invitations his novels offer to his readers.' London Review of Books 'a considerable achievement, written with grace and a fine ear for Stendahl's manner and concerns ... Pearson never fails to stimulate ... and few critics show themselves as able as Pearson to follow the fluctuations of his moods and opinions' C.W. Thompson, Warwick, French Studies 'This brilliant account of Stendahl in terms of the 'reader response' theory shows, in contrast, how fruitful modern literary theory can be when applied with scholarship, sensitivity and discretion ... remarkably intelligent book.' Philip Thody, Modern Languages `the lessons of Stendhal have not been lost on Roger Pearson and like the novels he has examined this critical work leaves the reader the pleasure of choosing while at the same time providing a sound intellectual and rational basis and a delicate tone of suggestiveness qui fait rever.' Zeits. fur frz Sprache u. Literatur