Alexandre Dumas

My most favorite author of all time is the incredible Alexandre Dumas. My favorite book of his is The Count of Monte Cristo. If you have not yet read this book, stop everything you’re doing and read it, you will not be disappointed. I have quite a collection of Dumas books, but sadly I do not yet have every piece he has written. That is something that I will continue to work to. The way that Dumas can weave fiction into historical events is unparalleled, not only that but he creates deep and authentic characters that you will laugh with, and I actually cried at the sadness when two great characters were killed in another of his great masterpieces. If you are looking for a great piece of literature that will keep you so entranced that you can’t put it down, grab a novel by Dumas.

Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (Alexandre Dumas), was born on 24 July 1802 in northern France. His father, Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, still stands as one of the highest-ranking men of African descent ever to lead a European army. He was the first person of color in the French military to become brigadier general, the first to become divisional general, and the first to become general-in-chief of a French army. Quite an impressive feat for a man born as a slave in Haiti to a white father and black mother. I would love to know how his father’s struggles with overcoming racism and fighting during revolutionary France influenced you Alexandre and his later works. Dumas was married, but had numerous affairs with other women, resulting in at least 4 children. One of his sons (Alexandre Dumas, fils) also became a well known author.

I have listed some of the works of Alexandre Dumas below (because all of his work would be too much for someone to read on a blog). I hope that others will pick up one or more of this man’s amazing work and discover an exciting new world.

The Black Tulip (La Tulipe noire, 1850)
Georges (1843)
The Count of Monte Cristo (Le Comte de Monte-Cristo, 1844–1846)
The Three Musketeers (Les Trois Mousquetaires, 1844)
Twenty Years After (Vingt ans après, 1845)
The Vicomte de Bragelonne, sometimes called Ten Years Later, (Le Vicomte de Bragelonne, ou Dix ans plus tard, 1847). When published in English, it was usually split into three parts: The Vicomte de Bragelonne, Louise de la Valliere, and The Man in the Iron Mask, of which the last part is the best known. (A third sequel, The Son of Porthos, 1883 (a.k.a. The Death of Aramis) was published under the name of Alexandre Dumas; however, the real author was Paul Mahalin.)
La Reine Margot, also published as Marguerite de Valois (1845)
Joseph Balsamo (Mémoires d’un médecin: Joseph Balsamo, 1846–1848) (a.k.a. Memoirs of a Physician, Cagliostro, Madame Dubarry, The Countess Dubarry, or The Elixir of Life). Joseph Balsamo is about 1000 pages long, and is usually published in two volumes in English translations: Vol 1. Joseph Balsamo and Vol 2. Memoirs of a Physician.
Andrée de Taverney, or The Mesmerist’s Victim
The Queen’s Necklace (Le Collier de la Reine, 1849(−1850)
Ange Pitou (1853) (a.k.a. Storming the Bastille or Six Years Later).
The Countess de Charny (La Comtesse de Charny, 1853–1855).
Le Chevalier de Maison-Rouge (1845)

I hope that if you are reading this blog, you will pick up a Dumas novel and enjoy them as much as I do.