Colette

Colette’s elegant, unsettling study of love turned hostile - and all because of a cat. A young marriage begins to sour, poisoned by rivalry and resentment. At its centre is a cat – adored by the husband, despised by the wife – whose presence exposes the quiet cruelty and emotional imbalance of the household. BRIEF ENCOUNTERS: classic novellas and captivating stories, to be read in a single sitting or savoured over days

''My little puma! My darling cat! My mountain lion! How will you go on living if we leave each other?''Colette (1873-1954) is one of the most widely read and critically acclaimed French writers of the twentieth century. The Cat (first serialised then published in volume form in 1933) is one of her short novels. This story of a middle-class couple in 1920s Paris follows the familiar romantic structure of the ''eternal triangle'', with the unexpected twist that the female rival is not a woman but a cat. The novel displays her capacity to conjure up a vibrantly physical world and a particular social moment, her radical yet nuanced view of gender roles, and her empathy with non-human creatures. The Masked Woman is a collection of short texts, mainly written for the daily newspaper Le Matin, focusing on small moments that mark a transition in a person''s life, and on certain recurring themes: the pleasure and the pain in relationships between women and men, the wearing of masks both literal and metaphorical, female complicity and solidarity. They are also linked by Colette''s inimitable narrative style, by the vividly material fictional universe she creates, and her liking for surprise and paradox that challenges a commonsensical view of the world.ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around theglobe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of othervaluable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies forfurther study, and much more.

This is Colette's famous love story about the romance between an older woman and a younger man. Léa de Lonval is a magnificent and aging courtesan facing the end of her career. She has devoted the last six years to the amorous education of the exquisitely handsome and spoilt Chéri - a playboy half her age. When an advantageous marriage is arranged for Chéri, Léa reluctantly decides their relationship must end. But neither lover can foresee how deeply they are connected, or how much they will have to give up. First published in 1920, it was instantly greeted by Marcel Proust and André Gide as a masterpiece. VINTAGE FRENCH CLASSICS - five masterpieces of French fiction in gorgeous new gift editions.

'He must know by now, I should think, that I can give as good as I get!' This is the story of Gigi, educated as a future courtesan in Paris, her days are filled with cigars, lobster, lace and superstitions. Bored and unconvinced by what she's taught, Gigi surprises everyone with her earnest approach to love. In this classic turn-of-the-century novella, Colette unveils Gigi's journey into womanhood in rich and supple prose. Meet ten of literature's most iconic heroines, jacketed in bold portraits by female photographers from around the world.