'It was a vision in red, a vision of the revolution that would surely come…'The thirteenth novel in the author's Rougon-Macquart series, Germinal (1885) is regarded by many as Zola's finest novel. An epic of class conflict, it depicts a moment in history when the workers begin to find a political voice. Étienne Lantier, an unemployed railwayman, finds work in a mine in Montsou, a town in northern France. Hit by an industrial slump, the mining company reduces its expenses by cutting back on the miners' wages. Shocked by the inhuman working and living conditions of the miners, Étienne becomes the leader of a strike. The strike turns violent and the army fires on the workers, who ultimately return to work blaming Étienne for the failure of the strike. A Russian anarchist, Souvarine, sabotages the entrance shaft of one of the pits, trapping Étienne and others at the bottom. Miraculously saved, Étienne eventually leaves Montsou for Paris to continue the struggle on behalf of the workers.A dramatic story about working life and everyday relationships, Germinal came to symbolize for many the call for freedom from oppression. Presented here is a stimulating new translation of this classic novel by renowned translator Brian Nelson, who also provides a full introduction that sets the work in its historical and literary context, detailed explanatory notes, and a select bibliography.ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more.
