The Red and the Black

Can a man rise above his birth—or will passion and ambition be his downfall? The Red and the Black (1830), by Stendhal, is a brilliant psychological and political novel that captures the turbulence of post-Napoleonic France. The story follows Julien Sorel, a poor but intelligent young man determined to rise in society through charm, talent, and ruthless ambition. Torn between the red of mili...