Choderlos de Laclos
Choderlos de Laclos was an 18th-century French novelist and army officer, best known for his epistolary novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," a masterful exploration of manipulation and seduction among the aristocracy. Born in 1741, Laclos served in the military for much of his life, yet his literary work has left a lasting impact on French literature, renowned for its psychological insight and critique of societal morals.
Book summaries for books written by Choderlos de Laclos
Quotes
I knew that the idea of a marriage based on love was quite ridiculous.
When one woman strikes at the heart of another, she seldom misses, and the wound is invariably fatal.
The pleasure of love is in loving. We are happier with the passion we feel than with what we demand.
I resolved henceforward to apply myself more particularly to the study of these states and their manners, so that I might be able to play upon them with more certainty and success.
To reject me now is to insult me twice.
You won't always be this lucky. If it happens again, look up, and remember this warning.
Modesty reigns everywhere except in balls and drawing rooms.
He is far from regular. But there is still some good in him; he loves me.
Love is neither generous nor just. It pursues its own advantage, regardless of the beloved object.
Choose your friends poorly, and you are responsible for your neighbors; choose your servants poorly, and you are responsible for yourself.
The pleasure is not worth the risk.
There's nothing so delightful as incurable pain of the heart.