Here is a book jot from February, 2021:

I just finished reading The Life of a Simple Man, written by Émile Guillaumin and published in 1904 (translated by Margaret Holden; revised translation by Margaret Crosland). It is a fictional memoir about Tiennon, a peasant born in 1823 in rural France. He tells the story of his life in a straightforward manner that often exhibits a certain lyricism. Tiennon, although fairly isolated in the countryside, lives through many changes in his society.

I enjoy reading about this period of time; one of my favorite books is The Debacle by Emile Zola, which takes place during the Franco-Prussian war. This event also occurs during the course of this book, and it is interesting to get more context from a peasant’s point of view. It is a convincing story that chronicles many episodes of Tiennon’s life, the sad and the happy intertwining in his thoughtful reflections.

“It seems to me that the true duty of each person lies in this very simple line of conduct: to work honestly, to cause sorrow to none, to help when we have a chance, and to come to the aid of the poor and suffering. If we conform to that as nearly as possible, I believe we need fear nothing either here or elsewhere.“