Three tales. Gustave Flaubert. 2005.

First published in 1877, the Three Tales, dominated by questions of doubt, love, loneliness and religious experience, form Flaubert’s final great work. ‘A Simple Heart’ relates the story of Felicite - an uneducated serving-woman who retains her Catholic faith despite a life of desolation and loss. ‘The Legend of Saint Julian Hospitator’, inspired by a stained-glass window in Rouen cathedral, describes the fate of Julian, a sadistic hunter destined to murder his own parents. The blend of faith and cruelty that dominates this story may also be found in ‘Herodias’ - a reworking of the tale of Salome and John the Baptist. Rich with a combination of desire, sorrow and faith, these three diverse works are a triumphant conclusion to Flaubert’s creative life.