Colas Breugnon

In a sunlit Burgundian town by the Yonne, Colas Breugnon, an aging woodcarver with a gift for laughter, begins to tell his life because he simply cannot keep silent any longer. His voice is earthy, comic, and fiercely alive, turning memory into feast and hardship into wit as he celebrates appetite, common sense, and the stubborn pleasure of being human. He inventories his world with affection: his long-suffering wife, divided children, grandchildren, animals, house, garden, and the riverbank home he built by hand and refuses to surrender. Through his talk, he reveals a philosophy of resilience rooted in craft, bodily joy, and practical wisdom. He boasts of his carpentry, his talent for shaping wood, and his love of drink, food, and honest work, while also mocking himself and the follies of others. War shadows this generous world, emptying his cellar, stirring his rage against soldiers, politics, and grand causes. Yet even in siege and winter, with Candlemas, folk tales, and a child's company softening the cold, Colas answers loss with humor, fellowship, and an unbroken love of life. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.