Le Tour du Monde; Une peuplade Malgache by Various

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Le Tour du Monde; Une peuplade Malgache by Various

(8 User reviews) 5348

By Ronald Gonzalez Posted on Dec 25, 2025

In Category - Economics

Authors: Various Published By : Various

Book Language: French

Have you ever wondered what it was like to be one of the first Europeans to step foot in a completely unknown part of the world? 'Le Tour du Monde; Une peuplade Malgache' is a wild, firsthand account of just that. It's not a single story, but a collection of travel logs and observations from French explorers landing on Madagascar in the 19th century. The real conflict isn't a battle, but the massive, sometimes shocking, cultural collision between these outsiders and the Malagasy people. It's a raw, unfiltered look at first contact, full of wonder, misunderstanding, and the heavy weight of history about to unfold. If you're fascinated by real adventure and the messy, human moments of exploration, this is a gripping and thought-provoking read.

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that the whole fifty-four were not finished till long afterwards. But from the _Sarashina Diary_, the first of the three contained in the _Court Ladies of Old Japan_, we know that the _Tale of Genji_ in its complete form was already a classic in the year 1022. The unknown authoress of this diary spent her childhood in a remote province. Her great pleasure was to read romances; but except at the Capital they were hard to come by. She prays fervently to Buddha to bring her quickly to Kyoto, and let her read ‘dozens and dozens of stories.’ In 1022 she at last arrives at Court and her wildest dreams are fulfilled. Packed in a big box her aunt sends round ‘the fifty-odd chapters of _Genji_’ and a whole library of shorter fairy-tales and romances. ‘Are there really such people as this in the world? Were Genji my lover, though he should come to me but once in the whole year, how happy I should be! Or were I Lady Ukifune in her mountain home, gazing as the months go by at flowers, red autumn leaves, moonlight and snow; happy, despite loneliness and misfortune, in the thought that at any moment the wonderful letter might come....’ Such were the _rêveries_ of one who read the _Tale of Genji_ more than nine hundred years ago. I think that, could they but read it in the original, few readers would feel that in all those centuries the charm of the book had in any way evaporated. The task of translation in such a case is bound to be arduous and discouraging; but I have all the time been spurred by the belief that I am translating by far the greatest novel of the East, and one which, even if compared with the fiction of Europe, takes its place as one of the dozen greatest masterpieces of the world. CONTENTS PAGE PREFACE 7 LIST OF MOST IMPORTANT PERSONS 11 GENEALOGICAL TABLES 13 CHAPTER I. KIRITSUBO 17 II. THE BROOM-TREE 39 III. UTSUSEMI 81 IV. YŪGAO 92 V. MURASAKI 135 VI. THE SAFFRON-FLOWER 180 VII. THE FESTIVAL OF RED LEAVES 211 VIII. THE FLOWER FEAST 239 IX. AOI 250 APPENDICES 297 LIST OF MOST IMPORTANT PERSONS (ALPHABETICAL) Aoi, Princess Genji’s wife. Asagao, Princess Daughter of Prince Momozono. Courted in vain by Genji from his 17th year onward. Emperor, The Genji’s father. Fujitsubo The Emperor’s consort. Loved by Genji. Sister of Prince Hyōbukyō; aunt of Murasaki. Genji, Prince Son of the Emperor and his concubine Kiritsubo. Hyōbukyō, Prince Brother of Fujitsubo; father of Murasaki. Iyo no Suke Husband of Utsusemi. Ki no Kami Son of Iyo no Kami, also called Iyo no Suke. Kiritsubo Concubine of the Emperor; Genji’s mother. Kōkiden The Emperor’s original consort; later supplanted by Kiritsubo and Fujitsubo successively. Koremitsu Genji’s retainer. Left, Minister of the Father of Aoi. Momozono, Prince Father of Princess Asagao. Murasaki Child of Prince Hyōbukyō. Adopted by Genji. Becomes his second wife. Myōbu A young Court lady who introduces Genji to Princess Suyetsumuhana. Nokiba no Ogi Ki no Kami’s sister. Oborozukiyo, Princess Sister of Kōkiden. Ōmyōbu Fujitsubo’s maid. Right, Minister of the Father of Kōkiden. Rokujō, Princess Widow of the Emperor’s brother, Prince Zembō. Genji’s mistress from his 17th year onward. Shōnagon Murasaki’s nurse. Suyetsumuhana, Princess Daughter of Prince Hitachi. A timid and eccentric lady. Tō no Chūjō Genji’s brother-in-law and great friend. Ukon Yūgao’s maid. Utsusemi Wife of the provincial governor, Iyo no Suke. Courted by Genji. Yūgao Mistress first of Tō no Chūjō then of Genji. Dies bewitched. GENEALOGICAL TABLES ┌ Prince Zembō, _m_. Lady...

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Continue Reading Full Book

This book is a time capsule. It's a compilation of writings from French travelers and colonial officials who arrived in Madagascar, primarily in the mid-1800s. There's no single plot, but rather a series of encounters. The authors describe everything: the landscapes, the wildlife, and most compellingly, their interactions with the various Malagasy communities they met.

The Story

The 'story' is the journey of observation itself. You follow these Europeans as they try to make sense of a society completely foreign to them. They document customs, political structures, and daily life from their own perspective. You see their genuine curiosity, but also their deep-seated biases and the assumptions of their time. The tension comes from this constant push and pull—moments of attempted understanding mixed with the undeniable reality of an impending colonial presence.

Why You Should Read It

Reading this isn't about agreeing with the authors. In fact, part of the power is reading against their grain. You get to be a detective, reading between the lines to catch glimpses of Malagasy life and resilience that the writers themselves might have missed. It's a challenging but rewarding experience that makes you think critically about history, who gets to write it, and how we understand other cultures.

Final Verdict

This book is perfect for readers who love primary source material and real-world adventure stories. It's for anyone interested in colonial history, anthropology, or Madagascar itself. Be prepared: it's not a modern, polished narrative. It's a direct window into a specific historical moment, with all its complexity and uncomfortable truths intact. If you're ready for that kind of raw, insightful journey, pick it up.

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