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Cover of The Immoralist by André Gide

The Immoralist

by André Gide

A respectable man discovers desires that make his carefully constructed identity impossible to inhabit.

Published
1902
Shelf rating
4.3

The story, briefly

Spoiler-free

Michel begins with a respectable marriage and a recognizable place in society. New desires expose the distance between that identity and what he actually wants.

What's inside

A married scholar's recovery and travels awaken desires that unsettle every part of his respectable life.

Why we recommend it

  1. A respectable identity breaks down

    Gide and Baldwin both study the moment a constructed self stops matching desire.

What this book explores

Book editions

Paperback
Paperback

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References

References

The sources below include the primary text, editions, scholarship, archival materials, and other records that informed this page. They document The Immoralist, its publication, and its place in literary history.

  1. 1The Immoralist — Open Library ISBN catalogue

    Official record
    Open Library, Internet Archive
    Used for

    Open Library ISBN catalogue used to verify the title, ISBN, and publication metadata.

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  2. 2The Immoralist — Google Books edition record

    Official record
    Google Books
    Used for

    Google Books catalogue record used to cross-check the title and edition metadata.

    View source

  1. 3The Immoralist — Internet Archive ISBN catalogue

    Official record
    Internet Archive
    Used for

    Internet Archive ISBN catalogue used to cross-check the edition and its availability in library holdings.

    View source

  2. 4The Immoralist — Library of Congress books catalogue

    Official record
    Library of Congress
    Used for

    Library of Congress books catalogue used to cross-check the bibliographic record by ISBN.

    View source
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Why these sources are here

The primary text is the baseline reference for every book page. Additional references document publication history, interpretation, and historical context where that evidence is available.

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