La Maison Tellier
Best introduction to Maupassant's characteristic short-story form and range.
Author guide
Guy de Maupassant Books in Order
Guy de Maupassant was a French writer associated with realism and naturalism. He is renowned for his concise, ironic short stories, six novels, travel writing, poetry, journalism, and plays. His fiction frequently examines war, class, sexuality, marriage, social hypocrisy, solitude, and the uncanny. He published extensively in newspapers before assembling many stories into collections, and his major works include Une vie, Bel-Ami, Pierre et Jean, and Le Horla.
realismnaturalismshort storiesnovelstravel writingpoetrydramajournalism
Catalog record updated .
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Une vie
His first published novel and a clear entry point into his longer fiction.
Bel-Ami
A widely accessible major novel portraying ambition, journalism, and social power.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (6)
- Une vie
novel · 1883
- Bel-Ami
novel · 1885
.I Quand la caissiere lui eut rendu la monnaie de sa piece de cent sous, Georges Duroy sortit du restaurant. Comme il portait beau, par nature et par pose d'ancien sous-officier, il cambra sa taille, frisa sa moustache d'un geste…
- Mont-Oriol
novel · 1887
Comment a force de bluff, de supposes miracles et de faux certificats delivres par des medecins complaisants on parvient a fabriquer une ville d'eaux et a lotir au plus haut prix un paysage entier en exploitant la credulite des uns et en…
- Pierre et Jean
novel · 1888
Tout les oppose. Alors que Jean est blond, calme, doux, de caractère égal, Pierre est noir, emporté, rancunier, exalté. Tant que rien n'ébranle l'équilibre familial, les deux frères mènent une vie apparemment paisible. Mais lorsqu'un ami…
- Fort comme la mort
novel · 1889
- Notre cœur
novel · 1890
Nonfiction (3)
- Au soleil
travel_writing · 1884
- Sur l'eau
travel_writing · 1888
- La Vie errante
travel_writing · 1890
Short fiction (15)
- La Maison Tellier
short_story_collection · 1881
- Mademoiselle Fifi
short_story_collection · 1882
Édition enrichie (Préface, notes et commentaires sur l'œuvre) Maupassant fut le meilleur élève de Flaubert. Ils étaient, tous deux, normands et réalistes. Les nouvelles de Maupassant : des instantanés ou des petits morceaux de vie…
- Contes de la bécasse
short_story_collection · 1883
Édition enrichie (Préface, notes, commentaires sur l'œuvre et biobibliographie) Chaque automne, un vieux chasseur régalait ses amis de bécasses. Les têtes de ces délicieux oiseaux étaient donnés à un seul convive désigné par le sort. Et…
- Clair de lune
short_story_collection · 1883
- Miss Harriet
short_story_collection · 1884
The title story of this collection is, like many of the others, set during the Franco-Prussian war. As in so many of Maupassant’s stories he explores class barriers and looks at the contrasts between the French and German combatants.
- Les Sœurs Rondoli
short_story_collection · 1884
- Yvette
short_story_collection · 1884
- Contes du jour et de la nuit
short_story_collection · 1885
- Monsieur Parent
short_story_collection · 1885
- Toine
short_story_collection · 1886
- La Petite Roque
short_story_collection · 1886
- Le Horla
short_story_collection · 1887
Le Horla raconte la lente désagrégation d'un esprit, de la dépression à la folie - des maux que connaissait bien Maupassant. Le héros se sent peu à peu envahi par un autre, qui agit à travers lui : le Horla, puissance invisible,…
- Le Rosier de Madame Husson
short_story_collection · 1888
- La Main gauche
short_story_collection · 1889
- L'Inutile Beauté
short_story_collection · 1890
L'Inutile Beauté (1890) est le dernier recueil de contes et nouvelles paru du vivant de l'auteur. «L'Inutile Beauté est la nouvelle la plus rare que j'aie jamais faite, écrit Maupassant. Ce n'est qu'un symbole.» Le volume réunit des…
Poetry (1)
- Des vers
poetry_collection · 1880
Plays (6)
- Histoire du vieux temps
play · 1879
- Une répétition
play · 1880
- Musotte
play · 1891
- La Paix du ménage
play · 1893
- À la feuille de rose, maison turque
play · 1945
- La Trahison de la Comtesse de Rhune
play · 1927
Posthumous collections (2)
- Le Père Milon
posthumous_short_story_collection · 1899
- Le Colporteur
posthumous_short_story_collection · 1900
Collaborations (2)
- Les Soirées de Médan
collaborative_short_story_collection · 1880
- Madame Thomassin
collaborative_play · 2005
Frequently asked questions about Guy de Maupassant
Who was Guy de Maupassant?
Guy de Maupassant was a French writer and journalist best known for concise, realist short stories. He also wrote novels, poetry, drama, and travel writing.
Sources: catalogue.bnf.fr (opens in a new tab)encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)
When and where was Guy de Maupassant born and when did he die?
He was born on August 5, 1850, in Tourville-sur-Arques, Normandy, France, and died on July 6, 1893, in Paris.
How did Gustave Flaubert influence Guy de Maupassant?
Flaubert acted as Maupassant’s literary mentor, encouraging his writing and helping him enter French literary journalism. His guidance contributed to Maupassant’s realist approach and disciplined style.
Sources: musee-fournaise.com (opens in a new tab)classes.bnf.fr (opens in a new tab)
What did Guy de Maupassant do before becoming a full-time writer?
Maupassant worked as a civil servant in France’s Ministry of the Navy and later the Ministry of Education. From 1875 onward, he also built a career as a newspaper columnist, publishing extensively in major Paris newspapers.
Sources: musee-fournaise.com (opens in a new tab)classes.bnf.fr (opens in a new tab)
Why is Guy de Maupassant still important in literature?
He is remembered as one of the finest short-story writers, admired for narrative economy, clarity, vivid detail, and irony. His technique influenced later writers, including Somerset Maugham, and helped shape modern short-fiction practice.
Sources: encyclopedia.com (opens in a new tab)english.upenn.edu (opens in a new tab)