The Life and Times of Emile Zola

The Life and Times of Emile Zola by F. W. J. Hemmings

This is an excellent biography of one of France's greatest authors. Hemmings follows through Zola's life, showing how personal and societal events tie into the publications he was writing at the time. This makes the book especially useful to someone who has already read Zola's works, but will be of interest to those who want to use this to get acquainted with the author and his works. Although written almost 50 years ago, the scholarship holds up well. Having read most of Zola's novels and short stories in English translation, I found this to be a great way to reminisce about the life and works of one of my favorite authors.