"Then she grew calmer and decided she was probably being unjust to him. But disparaging those we love always detaches us from them to some extent. It is better not to touch our idols: the gilt comes off on our hands." –Gustave Flaubert, Madame Bovary.

Gustave Flaubert wrote Madame Bovary in 1857. The book is about a young woman’s travails against the social norms of the time. Flaubert’s most famous work, it must also be considered one of the greatest novels of any place or era. Clifton Fadiman calls it an "unquestioned masterpiece," and says that "the excitement (the book generated)… has never quite died down." The book’s purpose of questioning social convention is a purpose that has been a standard for measuring what is great in literature. In addition, Madame Bovary's prose is impeccable, its plot flows effortlessly, its descriptive images are vibrant, and its characters are realistic and well drawn.

Flaubert was born in Rouen, France in 1821. His father was a doctor, and although Gustave began the study of medicine, he quit to become a writer. Throughout his life he suffered from a series of physical maladies, something which was also the case with other great writers (and, perhaps, is what compelled them to be great?). His work had its critics, but among the literary profession, and including Victor Hugo, he was recognized as a talent with few equals.