GuydeMaupassant (5August1850-6July1893) wasapopularFrenchwriter, consideredoneofthefathersofthemodernshortstoryandoneoftheform’sfinestexponents.
Maupassantwasaprotégé ofFlaubertandhisstoriesarecharacterizedbyeconomyofstyleandefficient, effortlessdénouements.ManyaresetduringtheFranco-PrussianWarofthe1870s, describingthefutilityofwarandtheinnocentcivilianswho, caughtupineventsbeyondtheircontrol, arepermanentlychangedbytheirexperiences.Hewrotesome300shortstories, sixnovels, threetravelbooks, , “BouledeSuif” (“BallofFat”, 1880), isoftenconsideredhismasterpiece.
