7 h 59 minAudiobook7 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What if charm is your greatest asset—and trouble keeps giving you chances to use it?
Aristide Pujol is short of money, quick of tongue and wonderfully proud of himself. A southern Frenchman who lives by his wits, he moves through French towns and across to England. In William John Locke's comic novel, each new encounter gives this warm-hearted rogue another chance to talk his way through trouble.
Rather than follow one long plot, The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol unfolds through separate escapades, each with its own comic problem. Aristide's expressive manners meet an England that values reserve and order. Beneath the boasting and cultural friction, Locke makes room for love, loyalty and the small kindnesses people offer one another.
What you’ll discover
- A rogue with warmth Meet a man whose pride and quick tongue make trouble part of his charm.
- Fresh trouble every chapter Enjoy self-contained escapades that bring new people, comic problems and neat turns.
- Two cultures in conversation Watch Aristide's warmth and boasting brush against English reserve, order and suspicion of show.
- Kindness beneath the laughter Find love and loyalty woven through adventures that keep their humane spirit.
- The pleasure of resilience Follow a travelling hero who turns his scrapes into stories he enjoys telling.
Who will love it
You will enjoy this book if you love comic rogues, sunny French settings and quick adventures with tender moments. It suits readers who like travel, lively talk and a hero with a big heart.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A rescue at a town gate
- A jealous husband gives Aristide a stage
- A wrong carriage leads to a rich dinner
- A baby on the road changes everything
- A drum, a mayor and a pig's head
- A sacred trust becomes a quiet devotion
- Two gloomy tourists wake up
- A gambler in clover meets a charming family
- A generous rogue and an English narrator
Who’s who
- Aristide PujolA penniless, quick-witted Provençal who tries every trade and falls in love easily, but never forgets a kindness.
- The narratorA careful English tea broker who meets Aristide by chance and records his adventures with amused affection.
- Zette BocardonA beautiful hotel keeper's wife in Nîmes, accused by her husband and rescued by Aristide's schemes.
- Mr. SmithA hearty London swindler who mistakes Aristide for a guest and plans to sell a fake Corot to his future son-in-law.
- JeanA cheerful baby found on a lonely Provençal road, who wins the hearts of everyone who holds him.
- Anne HoneywoodA kind Englishwoman who loves Jean from the first day and keeps a quiet, careful home.
- FleuretteA pale, gentle young bride left in Paris by her husband, who longs for happiness and letters.
- Mr. and Mrs. DucksmithA rich jam maker and his silent wife, who tour France with Aristide as their guide.
Formats and delivery
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- Read by Lucas Linden, complete. It opens once the recording is online.
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- The key ideas in about 7 minutes, to read today.
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- Hardcover
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- Large print hardcover
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The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol
by William John Locke · 1912
In London, penniless Aristide climbs into a stranger's carriage and dines with swindlers.
Medium level5–10 hours to readEnglish
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In short
Why would a penniless man climb into a carriage sent for somebody else? Because Aristide Pujol never misses a chance.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A rescue at a town gate
The book is a string of tales told to an English tea broker by his friend Aristide Pujol, and the first one shows how they meet. The narrator is touring Languedoc by car when his chauffeur McKeogh bumps an old man at the gate of Aigues-Mortes. An angry crowd gathers, and two gendarmes march up to see justice done.
Then a bright-eyed man in a blue suit flashes into the scene. He makes a fiery speech in Provençal, and the crowd falls silent. He steers the narrator to lunch, orders the wine, and hands over a card that reads Aristide Pujol, Agent, Paris. He says he owes his success to never missing an opportunity or throwing away a calling card.
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Which edition is right for me
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 7 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
Details
- First published
- 1912
- Language
- English
- Reading time
- 5 h 10 min
- Level
- Medium level
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What is The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol about?
It follows Aristide Pujol, a penniless, charming Provençal who moves from one job and scheme to another across France and England. Each chapter tells one adventure, told to an English friend, with comic mishaps and some tender moments.
Who is Aristide Pujol?
He is a quick-witted man from Provence, about thirty-five when the book begins, with a pointed beard and bright eyes. He tries many trades, from teacher to drummer to tour guide, and never keeps money for long.
Is The Joyous Adventures of Aristide Pujol a true story?
No, it is a work of fiction by William John Locke. The narrator presents himself as a friend repeating tales.
The author
William John Locke
1863–1930 · British novelist
William John Locke (1863–1930) was a British novelist. He lived in England and later in France, and died in Paris. His novels include The Morals of Marcus Ordeyne (1905), Simon the Jester (1910), The Red Planet (1917), and The Rough Road (1918). He also wrote plays.
More by William John Locke
All 5 booksMore like this
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